AboutWalter Hintz Expertise I can answer questions about both vertebrate and invertebrate zoology. I am an expert in animal behavior, especially birds.
Experience I have taught for over 50 years. I teach college biology courses and I have led tours to the Galapagos Islands and the Belize rain forest
Expert: Walter Hintz Date: 3/3/2008 Subject: Black Creatures In Creek
Question QUESTION: I was wondering if you could help me identify some black creatures attached to the rocks in our creek. We are in Texas, and I was walking last week by the creek and noticed that there were these little black almost worm-like creatures attached to the rocks in the bottom of the creek. I also noticed that they were not in the places that were deep and still, but were thick in the places where the water was running over the rocks swiftly. They appeared to be attached by their mouths to the rocks, and some were attached to the moss that was in the swifter areas. But the favored places seemed to be the rocks.
Thank you for taking the time to read and answer this. I am wanting to show my kids what I found, but want to be able to tell them about what they are seeing.
ANSWER: It sounds like you saw a type of flatworm called planaria. Google planaria and look at photos. Let me know if this is what they are.
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QUESTION: I looked up the planaria and read about it as well as looked at the photos. One type, the Class Turbellaria, had a picture that looked pretty close to what I found. But it didn't say where they live. One source said that they live on the underside of rocks, but these were on the top of the rocks. Are they still a type of flatworm do you think?
Answer Planaria will sometimes be on top of the rock especially it the stream flow is very slow. Is it possible you can get a photo to send me? waltjh@sbcglobal.net
Hi again Nichola;
I reexamined the photos again and I now believe I was way off base about these organisms on the rocks. Ther are too many to be flatworms. I believe these are larvae of the Black Fly
