About Caenoplana variegata (Fletcher & Hamilton, 1888)
Caenoplana variegata is a species of land planarian. It was first described in 1888 by Joseph James Fletcher and Alexander Greenlaw Hamilton, under the original name Geoplana variegata. While its currently accepted scientific name is Caenoplana variegata, Australian authorities classify it under the name Australopacifica variegata. The species' type locality is located within the County of Cumberland, New South Wales. Caenoplana variegata is recognized as an invasive species in the United Kingdom and Europe. It was first recorded in the UK in 2008, and had spread to the Netherlands by 2014. From the Netherlands, it is believed to have spread further to Germany and Austria, where the first local individual sightings were reported in September 2023 and February 2024, respectively. The spread of these flatworms may be aided by domestic cats and dogs.
