Bipalium

/bɪˈpæliəm/ noun

Definition

A genus of large predatory land flatworms with an distinctive hammer or axe-shaped head that are found in tropical and subtropical regions.

Etymology

From Latin 'bi-' (two) + 'palium' (cloak, mantle). The genus name describes these worms' characteristic two-lobed head structure that extends outward like a mantle.

Kelly Says

Bipalium worms look absolutely alien—they can stretch their bodies incredibly thin, and their hammer-shaped head gives them exceptional sensory abilities to hunt earthworms in soil, yet most people have never heard of them despite their ecological impact.

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