Predatory flatworm released in Samoa in 1990s linked to native snail extinctions
The introduction of the New Guinea flatworm to Pacific islands in the 1990s as a biological pest control has resulted in the decline and extinction of native tree snail species. This ecological failure has led to federal endangered species listings for several native snails in American Samoa.
Why it matters
It highlights the unintended, catastrophic consequences of human-led biological control programs on fragile island ecosystems.
An aggressive predatory flatworm introduced to Pacific islands during the 1990s to control agricultural pests has pushed native land snail species toward extinction, turning a planned biological control program into an ecological disaster. The New Guinea flatworm (Platydemus manokwari) was brought to Samoa and nearby island territories to control the giant African land snail (Achatina fulica), an invasive species that damages local crops. Instead of feeding only on the target pest, the generalist predator began hunting native tree snails, speeding up the decline of unique island ecosystems across the Pacific. According to an ecological study published in PubMed Central, the introduction of generalist predators such as Platydemus manokwari is a classic example of failed biological control.
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