Do you like eating escargot? You may want to get it now before it's all gone. Researchers have found that one of the worst invasive species in the world is impacting snails in France, which could mean that escargot could soon be off the menu.
The invasive species in question is the New Guinea flatworm. This particular species has now been found in France, Caen. It consumes land snails and endangers endemic species. In fact, while it normally lives on the ground, this flatworm can climb trees in order to follow snails. The fact that it can now be found in France could mean that the snails there are, in fact, in danger.
The New Guinea flatworm can natively be found in the mountainous regions of New Guinea at an altitude of 3,000 meters. This means that it can survive relatively cool temperatures, which explains how it can spread across France and Europe. This means that the flatworm represents a huge threat to the biodiversity in both France and Europe.
"This species is extraordinarily invasive," said Jean-Lou Justine of the Museum of Natural History in an interview with Times Live. "I really hope it can be stopped in its earliest stages. All snails in Europe could be wiped out. It may seem ironic, but it's worth pointing out the effect this will have on French cooking."
Because the flatworm has such an appetite for snails, researchers are worried that it could pose a significant risk if its spread isn't halted early. Currently, scientists are working on the best ways to control and eradicate the flatworm from the areas where it's been found. If they don't succeed, though, we may just see a lot less escargot on menus in the future.
The recent findings were published in the journal PeerJ.
