New Information on the Hosts and Distribution of the Marine Fish Leeches Trachelobdella Lubrica and Pontobdella Muricata (Clitellata, Hirudinida)

Abstract

New Information on the Hosts and Distribution of the Marine Fish LeechesTrachelobdella LubricaandPontobdella Muricata(Clitellata, Hirudinida)Fish leeches collected in the Aegean Sea, the Sea of Marmara and the Black Sea were examined.Trachelobdella lubrica(Grube, 1840) was recorded for the first time from the ballan wrasseLabrus bergylta(Osteichthyes, Labridae), marine breamDiplodus vulgaris(Osteichthyes, Sparidae) and the grouperEpinephelus aeneus(Osteichthyes, Serranidae) from aquiculture. The leeches of this species were found in the Aegean Sea and the Sea of Marmara on the body surface, in the mouth and gill cavities of their hosts. Leeches identified asPontobdella muricata(Linnaeus, 1758) were collected from the thornback rayRaja clavata(Chondrichthyes, Rajidae) in the Black Sea.