Abstract
ABSTRACTThe increasing demands for medicinal leeches around the world has increased the need for new sources of leeches. To assess the feasibility of culturing a new medicinal leech species, growth, survival and reproduction of Hirudo orientalis was investigated under laboratory conditions (28°C; 9.5D:14.5L light regime; monthly feeding by sheep blood) from hatching until sexual maturity. Several interesting results emerged from this study. (1) The first copulation was observed in 5.5-month-old leeches and cocoon deposition started by six months. (2) Cocoon length and diameter did not differ significantly between six- and nine-month-old leeches, but the percentage of leeches depositing cocoons was significantly higher in the nine-month old group. (3) The growth curve was saltatory, similar to other sanguivorous species. The mean (±SE) wet weight of 6-month-old individuals was 4.70 (±0.86) g. (4) Weight gain rate decreased with increasing age. (5) Mortality only occurred in the one-, seven- and eight-month age groups at the rate of 5.7%, 23.1% and 14.3%, respectively.
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