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Macrobdella decora, also known as the North American medicinal leech, is a species of freshwater leech found in much of eastern North America in freshwater habitats, although there is one disjunct population in northern Mexico. M. decora is a parasite of vertebrates, including humans, and an aquatic predator of eggs, larvae, and other ...
Haemopis sanguisuga is a freshwater leech and is found across most of Europe [1] [4] as well as in Asia. [6] Typical habitats are in shallow parts of lakes, ponds, ditches and slow-moving rivers. It may emerge onto the land, hiding under stones, and it tolerates slightly brackish water. [4] It can be found as far as 30 metres away from water.
The Glossiphoniidae, the freshwater jawless leeches, [citation needed] or leaf leeches (due to their shape) [11] are freshwater leeches, flattened, and with a poorly defined anterior sucker. [2] The family Glossiphoniidae contains one of the world's largest species of leech, the giant Amazon leech , which can grow up to 45 cm in length. [ 12 ]
The majority of leeches live in freshwater habitats, while some species can be found in terrestrial or marine environments. The best-known species, such as the medicinal leech, Hirudo medicinalis , are hematophagous , attaching themselves to a host with a sucker and feeding on blood, having first secreted the peptide hirudin to prevent the ...
E. octoculata is one of the most common freshwater leeches in Europe with documentation in over 20 countries. [7] [8] This species has been shown to be more abundant in fast moving streams and rivers with rocky bottoms than other leech species. [9] [10] E. octoculata prefers acidic bodies of water with low nutrient content. [10]
Glossiphoniidae are a family of freshwater proboscis-bearing leeches. These leeches are generally flattened, and have a poorly defined anterior sucker . Most suck the blood of freshwater vertebrates like amphibians , crocodilians and aquatic turtles , but some feed on invertebrates like oligochaetes and freshwater snails instead.
This leech is found in freshwater habitats in Europe. [3] It is common in the coastal flat parts of Holland which are visited by the waterfowl that act as its hosts. [1] It is uncommon in Britain, where it has a discontinuous range, probably being distributed by movements of its bird hosts. [2]
Arhynchobdellida, the proboscisless leeches, are a monophyletic order of leeches. They are defined by the lack of the protrusible proboscis that defines their sister taxon, the Rhynchobdellida . [ 1 ] [ 2 ] [ 3 ] Arhynchobdellida is a diverse order, compromising both aquatic and terrestrial , besides sanguivorous and predatory , leeches. [ 3 ]