Flatworms in the land of the midnight sun: first record of the invasive species Obama nungara (Platyhelminthes, Geoplanidae) in Sweden, its northernmost location in continental Europe

The land flatworm Obama nungara, native to South America and already invasive in several European countries, is reported here for the first time in Sweden, marking its first sighting in Scandinavia. The finding of a specimen in Malmo in November 2024 suggests that O. nungara may be present in other areas of Sweden, with its establishment potentially dating back a certain time. The cox1 haplotype of the Malmo specimen clustered within a large group of haplotypes found in several countries of Europe; this group was found in previous studies to originate from Argentina. Within this group, the Malmo specimen belongs to the most common haplotype in Europe, which precludes any more precise assessment of its origin.