Bermudians are being asked to be on the lookout for the rare land flatworm, generally slimy animals that can be mistaken at first glance for slugs, pending a visit to the Island from a University of Manchester professor.

Dr. Hugh Jones, who is also a scientific associate from London's Natural History Museum, will be visiting Bermuda from February 1-8 to search for the land flatworm, and is asking residents to join him in his search.

There are three different kinds of land flatworms in Bermuda:

In 1989 a large flatworm was spotted in Bermuda in a potted plant. It was buff-coloured, with two dark blue lines down the front half and many dark blue spots on the back. It turned out to be a new species to science, probably from Central or South America, travelling to Bermuda with imported plants.

The second, a hammer-headed flatworm, can be up to 50 centimetres long and half a centimetre thick with a very distinctive semi-circular head. It is brown, with five dark purple stripes along its back. This species has been found in Bermuda on a number of occasions over the years, as well as all over the world, and feeds on earthworms.

The third species has apparently only been found once before. In 1918 W. J. Crozier while working at the Bermuda Biological Station reported finding a worm "amongst moist decaying leaves in a fertiliser pit at Point Shares". It was five centimetres long and deep greenish-blue in colour with two deep blue or black stripes running the length of the animal. Crozier comments this might become permanently established on Bermuda.

Dr. Jones is also interested in the Bermdua land nemertine (ribbon worm), found nowhere else in the world.

It is found under coral stones near the shore, particularly around mangroves, and is up to five centimetres occasionally 15) in length with four black eye spots at the front end. Its colour varies from milk-white to dusky-brown, greyish, or smoky brown.

The best way to search for these worms is by looking under stones, plastic sacks or logs lying in the soil. Dr. Jones asks that residents report any findings to Dr. Wolfgang Sterrer at the Bermuda Aquarium, Museum and Zoo on 293-2727 ext. 124.