# What is this bug? amphibian? other? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 4, 2009, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-bug-amphibian-other/508907 "2009-09-04T21:35:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![curlcoat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea5d25/32.png) [@curlcoat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curlcoat)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2009, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-bug-amphibian-other/508907/1 "2009-09-04T21:35:33Z")
[Here](http://www.charwinccrs.com/what.html) are some somewhat blurry pictures of a something or other that I found in the front yard today. I don’t even know where to start on Google! Anyone have any ideas? ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2009, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-bug-amphibian-other/508907/2 "2009-09-04T21:51:36Z")
Telling us how long or thick it is would help. Was it on top of the ground when found. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2009, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-bug-amphibian-other/508907/3 "2009-09-04T21:53:30Z")
Probably some kind of worm. The only amphibian that would fit the bill are caecilians, and I think they’re mostly southern hemisphere. Is there something on the end(s) different than the body? Can’t really tell from the pics. ---
**Author:** ![curlcoat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea5d25/32.png) [@curlcoat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curlcoat)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2009, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-bug-amphibian-other/508907/4 "2009-09-04T22:01:47Z")
> [@Harmonious\_Discord](#): > > Telling us how long or thick it is would help. Was it on top of the ground when found. The pictures are essentially actual size - it’s 5-6 inches long and skinny, less than the size of a pencil. Also, it has stripes running it’s length. It was under a piece of cement, in a loose pile on dirt when I found it. > [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > ``` > Probably some kind of worm. The only amphibian that would fit the bill are caecilians, and I think they're mostly southern hemisphere. Is there something on the end(s) different than the body? Can't really tell from the pics. > > ``` The head is, um, a flat triangle? I’m going to go Google caecilian and see if it looks anything like that. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2009, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-bug-amphibian-other/508907/5 "2009-09-04T22:17:53Z")
There apparently are caecilians in California, though I didn’t find anything specifically mentioning Orange County. Here are some better [images](http://forums.kingsnake.com/view.php?id=837352,837352) that sound like you describe. ---
**Author:** ![curlcoat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea5d25/32.png) [@curlcoat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curlcoat)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2009, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-bug-amphibian-other/508907/6 "2009-09-04T22:42:49Z")
OK, a couple of more better pictures, at the same [place](http://www.charwinccrs.com/what.html). ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2009, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-bug-amphibian-other/508907/7 "2009-09-04T22:51:37Z")
It’s a [land planarian](http://entomology.ifas.ufl.edu/creatures/misc/land_planarians_photo1.htm) or terrestrial flatworm, probably _Bipalium kewense_ [More here](http://entomology.ifas.ufl.edu/creatures/misc/land_planarians.HTM) ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2009, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-bug-amphibian-other/508907/8 "2009-09-04T22:55:21Z")
Definitely a worm. Something along the lines of an [arrowhead flatworm](http://www.whatsthatbug.com/2006/04/25/arrowhead-flatworm-3/). ETA: I knew someone would beat me. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![curlcoat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea5d25/32.png) [@curlcoat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curlcoat)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2009, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-bug-amphibian-other/508907/9 "2009-09-04T23:06:22Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > It’s a [land planarian](http://entomology.ifas.ufl.edu/creatures/misc/land_planarians_photo1.htm) or terrestrial flatworm, probably _Bipalium kewense_ > > [More here](http://entomology.ifas.ufl.edu/creatures/misc/land_planarians.HTM) That’s it! Now, all I need to do is decide if I value my earthworms over the hope that it is actually eating snails… 😛 Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2009, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-bug-amphibian-other/508907/10 "2009-09-05T01:05:36Z")
We used to keep boards and rocks on the ground by the marsh so when it was to hot to get earthworms we could flip boards for the flatworms to go fishing. ---
**Author:** ![curlcoat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea5d25/32.png) [@curlcoat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curlcoat)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2009, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-bug-amphibian-other/508907/11 "2009-09-05T04:18:40Z")
> [@Harmonious\_Discord](#): > > We used to keep boards and rocks on the ground by the marsh so when it was to hot to get earthworms we could flip boards for the flatworms to go fishing. You touched them with your bare fingers? ewww :eek: