Abstract
In this paper, the very first checklist of the freshwater leeches of Maloe More Strait, a special part of Lake Baikal, is presented. It includes 14 free-living and parasitic species, of which four species belong to endemic Baikal genera – two species from Baicalobdella and one species each from Baicaloclepsis and Codonobdella. The checklist highlights six potentially new morphological species recorded for the first time in the area. The exact systematic position is stated for all leech species. Each species from the list is provided with information on taxonomic synonymy, data on its geographic distribution, and ecological characteristics. New species records are additionally provided with brief morphological characteristics and photos of their external morphology.
Highlights
The Baikal leeches (Hirudinea) are one of the least studied groups of invertebrates due to underestimation of their role in aquatic ecosystems and intractability of their taxonomy
The present paper aims to provide such a list for the Maloe More Strait, a special part of Lake Baikal
The most diverse is the group of glossiphoniid leeches, which consists of nine species belonging to six genera (Alboglossiphonia – 2 spp., Glossiphonia – 2 spp., Helobdella – 1 sp., Hemiclepsis – 1 sp., Theromyzon – 2 spp., Baicaloclepisis – 1 sp.)
Summary
The Baikal leeches (Hirudinea) are one of the least studied groups of invertebrates due to underestimation of their role in aquatic ecosystems and intractability of their taxonomy. These leeches have a large size relative to other freshwater invertebrates and a high density in the littoral zone of reservoirs and lowland streams making them critical to fish nutrition. This role is obviously underestimated at present. The second group consists of parasitic forms, which constitute the main part of the leech diversity, and their role in ecosystems is absolutely different. Lukin and Epstein (1960a) described a new genus (Baicaloclepsis) and a new species (B. grubei), the first leech record from the Maloe More Strait. The checklist includes 14 species and subspecies along with several new distribution records, including four endemic species, and six potential new species
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