Scientists have named a newly discovered species of hammerhead flatworm&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sciencealert.com/scientists-named-a-predatory-flatworm-after-covid-19" class="on">Humbertium covidum</a>. Sounds familiar? This predatory flatworm was named in homage to all the loved ones that the COVID-19 pandemic has taken from us.Like its name, the hammerhead flatworm has a distinctive hammer-shaped head. Its slick 3-cm long body is metallic black and, unlike many other flatworm species, lacks stripes or other ornamentation. ​Related:&nbsp;<a href="https://laughosaurus.com/p/we-dont-talk-about-covid-no-no-no-encantos-we-dont-talk-about-bruno-parody-song-by-the-holderness-family" class="on">We Don't Talk About Covid, No no no</a>

H. covidum&nbsp;was discovered in two French gardens and one Italian garden - but the species is an alien one in Europe, so scientists surmised that it hitched a ride from Asia via the plant trade.The flatworm's discovery was later published by French parasitologist Jean-Lou Justine and team in the journal <a href="https://peerj.com/articles/12725/">Peer J</a>. The team suggested that the flatworm originated from Asia and managed to spread around the world via plants carried by humans. They also found that&nbsp;H. covidum&nbsp;had been eating slugs and snails, and feared the behaviour would disrupt the surrounding ecosystem.#COVID19 #Flatworm #ScientificDiscovery #Humbertiumcovidum #newspeciesImage source: <a href="https://peerj.com/articles/12725/">Pierre Gros,&nbsp;Peer J, 2022</a>​

#humbertiumcovidum