Family Glossiphoniidae Research Articles

An Investigation into the Diversity of Leeches (Hirudinida) in the Baltic States

The Baltic states—Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania—are situated on the eastern coast of the Baltic Sea between Russia and the Scandinavian countries. This region is characterized by diverse landscapes and numerous bodies of water, including lakes, peat bogs, and marshes, which serve as natural habitats for aquatic invertebrates, including leeches. Despite the rare and uncertain taxonomic status of leech species in the area, research in the Baltic region has been inadequate. Therefore, this study aims to examine the composition of leech species in the Baltic countries, drawing on both past and current research. The study also seeks to assess the status of Hirudo medicinalis in the Baltic region and discuss the rare, questionable, and potentially present leech species in the Baltic states. A scoping review method was employed, surveying published references, books, and databases. In total, the study found records of 21 leech species in Estonia, 15 in Latvia, and 26 in Lithuania, belonging to the families Glossiphoniidae, Erpobdellidae, Hirudinidae, Haemopidae, and Piscicolidae. Hirudo medicinalis L. is distributed throughout all Baltic countries, but the most recent records on their location are only available for Estonia. The data on a few Piscicolidae species is questionable and requires verification, but further research on Piscicolid leeches can potentially lead to the discovery of rare species.

Lumping three nominal species into one: taxonomic revision of amphibian parasitic leeches of Torix in Far East Asia (Hirudinea: Glossiphoniidae)

Although most members of the freshwater leech family Glossiphoniidae have mid-body somites divided into three annuli, the genus Torix Blanchard, 1893 is distinguished by two-annuli somites. Torix has high species richness in Far East Asia, and three nominal species have been recognised in the Japanese Archipelago and adjacent regions that can be distinguished by a combination of both internal and external morphological characteristics. However, recent studies have shown that these diagnostic features are ontogenetically variable and this has resulted in taxonomic confusion among Torix species endemic to the Japanese Archipelago. In this study, we revisit the taxonomic accounts of T. orientalis (Oka, 1925) and T. tagoi (Oka, 1925), in addition to that of the recently redescribed T. tukubana (Oka, 1935) to clarify the diagnostic characteristics for each of the three species. Our morphological and molecular phylogenetic analyses demonstrated that the three Torix species in Japan are indistinguishable. We therefore conclude that these species should be synonymised and treated as a single species. The specific names orientalis and tagoi were simultaneously established under the genus Oligobdella Moore, 1918, therefore we acted as First Reviser and gave precedence to the name O. tagoi, thus the valid name for the Far East Asian Torix species is T. tagoi unless T. orientalis and T. tagoi are treated as distinct species. There are several type localities for T. tagoi and the name-bearing types have been lost, therefore we designate a neotype for this species to obviate zoological and nomenclatural issues. ZooBank: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:E2DBF999-3B51-456F-AB04-A7D138E0AF2D

Broad phylogenetic analyses of the leech family Glossiphoniidae (Annelida: Clitellata) reveals two independent origins of kangaroo leeches

Abstract Parental care is uncommon within Annelida. However, a remarkable exception is in the leech family Glossiphoniidae in which all its members keep their offspring attached to the ventral surface for varying lengths of time. Considered as the culmination in the evolution of parental care in leeches, two glossiphoniids, Marsupiobdella africana from South Africa and Maiabdella batracophila from South America, have a brood pouch or marsupium in which their offspring are protected. Interestingly, the structure is located in exactly the same region of the body in both species. Based on phylogenetic analysis of Glossiphoniidae, including use of nuclear and mitochondrial DNA sequences, we investigated for the first time the phylogenetic position of the two kangaroo leeches. Our results indicate that marsupium-bearing leeches belong to separate lineages, with each species more closely related to other leeches from their respective continent. We infer that the marsupium evolved independently from ancestors that maintained their eggs inside thin-walled, flexible, transparent cocoons attached directly to the ventral surface of the parents. Together with the evolution of a marsupium, both species have also ceased to produce cocoons, which are normally a characteristic of Glossiphoniidae.

Cryptic taxonomic diversity and high-latitude melanism in the glossiphoniid leech assemblage from the Eurasian Arctic

The family Glossiphoniidae is a diverse and widespread clade of freshwater leeches, playing a significant role in functioning of aquatic ecosystems. The taxonomy and biogeography of leeches from temperate, subtropical, and tropical regions attracted much attention of zoologists, while their taxonomic richness and distribution in the Arctic are poorly understood. Here, we present an overview of the Eurasian Arctic Glossiphoniidae based on the most comprehensive occurrence and DNA sequence datasets sampled to date. This fauna contains 14 species, belonging to five genera and three subfamilies. One genus and five species are new to science and described here. The world’s northernmost occurrences of glossiphoniids are situated on the Taymyr Peninsula at 72° N, although further records at higher latitudes are expected. Most Arctic leeches are characterized by broad ranges crossing several climatic zones (e.g., Glossiphonia balcanica and G. nebulosa), although the distribution of two new species may be confined to the high-latitude areas. The Taymyr Peninsula with the nearby Putorana Plateau represents the most species-rich area (totally 9 species), while the European Arctic, Iceland, Kolyma Highland, and Chukotka Peninsula house depleted faunas (2–4 species per subregion). Finally, we show that the high-latitude melanism is a common phenomenon in glossiphoniid leeches.

<i>Corrigendum to</i>: An integrative taxonomic study of the genus <i>Theromyzon</i> (Hirudinea: Glossiphoniidae), with description of a new North American species

<i>Theromyzon</i> Philippi, 1867 is a genus of sanguivorous, freshwater leeches in the family Glossiphoniidae. The genus is broadly distributed across the globe, possibly due to the frequent feeding in the nasopharyngeal cavities of migratory waterfowl that may allow for long distance dispersal. The genus has a history of taxonomic confusion resulting from mischaracterisations of key morphological features of type specimens that have produced several re-descriptions and synonyms. Here, we bring partial order to this confusion through robust morphological investigations of newly collected North American (and a single South American) specimens, representing most of the known species diversity from this continent. We also produce the first species-level phylogeny for <i>Theromyzon</i> and attempt to understand species boundaries regarding both morphology and genetics. Our results demonstrate that there are at least five species of <i>Theromyzon</i> present in North America (<i>T. bifarium</i>, <i>T. tessulatum</i>, <i>T. rude</i>, <i>T. trizonare</i>, and a clade that needs further investigation), and a hitherto undescribed taxon that does not conform to any previously published description, and represents a unique lineage in the phylogeny; we describe this new species under the name <i>Theromyzon tigris</i> sp. nov. This study sheds light on the discriminatory power of select morphological characters and the distribution of phenotypes within the genus. We also provide a comprehensive classification framework for the known species within the genus designed to facilitate identification and minimise future taxonomic confusion.

An integrative taxonomic study of the genus Theromyzon (Hirudinea: Glossiphoniidae), with description of a new North American species

Theromyzon Philippi, 1867 is a genus of sanguivorous, freshwater leeches in the family Glossiphoniidae. The genus is broadly distributed across the globe, possibly due to the frequent feeding in the nasopharyngeal cavities of migratory waterfowl that may allow for long distance dispersal. The genus has a history of taxonomic confusion resulting from mischaracterisations of key morphological features of type specimens that have produced several re-descriptions and synonyms. Here, we bring partial order to this confusion through robust morphological investigations of newly collected North American (and a single South American) specimens, representing most of the known species diversity from this continent. We also produce the first species-level phylogeny for Theromyzon and attempt to understand species boundaries regarding both morphology and genetics. Our results demonstrate that there are at least five species of Theromyzon present in North America (T. bifarium, T. tessulatum, T. rude, T. trizonare, and a clade that needs further investigation), and a hitherto undescribed taxon that does not conform to any previously published description, and represents a unique lineage in the phylogeny; we describe this new species under the name Theromyzon tigris sp. nov. This study sheds light on the discriminatory power of select morphological characters and the distribution of phenotypes within the genus. We also provide a comprehensive classification framework for the known species within the genus designed to facilitate identification and minimise future taxonomic confusion.

Mitogenome of the blood feeding leech Haementeria acuecueyetzin (Hirudinida: Glossiphoniidae) from Tabasco, Mexico

Here, we present the mitogenome of the blood feeding leech Haementeria acuecueyetzin (Hirudinida: Glossiphoniidae) based on specimens collected in Tabasco, Mexico. The circular genome is 14,985 bp in length, and consists of 13 protein-coding genes, 22 tRNA genes, two rRNA genes, and an AT-rich control region. Phylogenetic analysis based on the 13 protein-coding genes and two rRNA genes places H. acuecueyetzin sister to H. officinalis within the family Glossiphoniidae. Mitochondrial gene order in H. acuecueyetzin is consistent with other members of Clitellata with no evidence of gene gain/loss, duplication, or rearrangement.

Phylogenetic analysis of Placobdella (Hirudinea: Rhynchobdellida: Glossiphoniidae) with consideration of COI variation

Placobdella is a genus of blood-feeding leeches in the family Glossiphoniidae. Historically, species of Placobdella have posed difficulty for systematists owing to a lack of informative morphological characters and the preponderance of inadequate or incomplete species descriptions. Here, we conduct a phylogenetic analysis of 55 individuals representing 20 of the 24 currently recognized nominal taxa using COI, ND1, 12S rDNA and ITS sequences under parsimony, maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference. We also examine the isolated COI phylogeny for the genus using an expanded dataset encompassing three additional species not included in the concatenated dataset. Finally, we assess genetic variation at the COI locus to validate initial specimen identifications and estimate how COI variation may reflect species boundaries. We conclude that Placobdella is a monophyletic group that places as the sister group to a clade formed by the genera Haementeria and Helobdella. We discuss the evolutionary implications of several internal relationships that are robustly resolved by all three optimality criteria, paying particular attention to the apparent fluidity of morphological characters exhibited by members of Placobdella. We also find preliminary evidence for the presence of cryptic and undescribed diversity within the genus.

Ecological and faunistic characteristics of the leech fauna in the Bukhtarma Reservoir, Eastern Kazakhstan

The taxonomic diversity of the Hirudinea fauna and its dependence on the ecological conditions in the Bukhtarma Reservoir (Eastern Kazakhstan) have been studied. The morphological analysis has shown that these leeches belong to two orders and three families: Rhynchobdellida (families Glossiphoniidae and Piscicolidae) and Arhynchobdellida (family Erpobdellidae). On the whole, eight leech species from five genera (Alboglossiphonia, Helobdella, Theromyzon, Piscicola, and Erpobdella) have been identified. Among them, there are three glossiphoniid species (A. heteroclite, H. stagnalis, and T. tessulatum), two species of piscicolids (Piscicola geometra and Piscicola sp.), and three species of predatory leeches (E. octoculata, E. vilnensis, and Erpobdella sp.). Possible effects of hydrochemical parameters of the aquatic environment on the species diversity have been analyzed. Correlation has been revealed between the abundance of species and the physical and chemical characteristics of the environment.

GLOSSIPHONIA BALCANICA N. SP. AND DINA PROKLETIJACA N. SP. (HIRUDINIDA: GLOSSIPHONIIDAE, ERPOBDELLIDAE) - TWO NEW LEECHES FROM MONTENEGRO AND KOSOVO

Two new leech species (Hirudinida) representing the families Glossiphoniidae (Glossiphonia balcanica n. sp.) and Erpobdellidae (Dina prokletijaca n. sp.) are described. The populations from Montenegro assigned by Utevsky et al. (2013) and Grosser et al. (2015) to Glossiphonia nebulosa Kalbe, 1964 represent an new species, here described as G. balcanica n. sp. The new species can be easily be separated from Glossiphonia nebulosa by the reduction of the papillae. Dina prokletijaca n. sp. closely resembles D. dinarica Sket, 1968 and D. montana Sket, 1968 from which can be distinguished in the combination of the small and stocky body, dorsal surface with two wide and dark paramedian longitudinal stripes and ovisacs reaching the fourth somite after the female genital pore, and curled in their entire course. A key to the species of Glossiphonia Johnson, 1816 and Dina R. Blanchard, 1892 from the Western Balkans is presented.

Genetic diversity of freshwater leeches in Lake Gusinoe (eastern Siberia, Russia).

The study of leeches from Lake Gusinoe and its adjacent area offered us the possibility to determine species diversity. As a result, an updated species list of the Gusinoe Hirudinea fauna (Annelida, Clitellata) has been compiled. There are two orders and three families of leeches in the Gusinoe area: order Rhynchobdellida (families Glossiphoniidae and Piscicolidae) and order Arhynchobdellida (family Erpobdellidae). In total, 6 leech species belonging to 6 genera have been identified. Of these, 3 taxa belonging to the family Glossiphoniidae (Alboglossiphonia heteroclita f. papillosa, Hemiclepsis marginata, and Helobdella stagnalis) and representatives of 3 unidentified species (Glossiphonia sp., Piscicola sp., and Erpobdella sp.) have been recorded. The checklist gives a contemporary overview of the species composition of leeches and information on their hosts or substrates. The validity of morphological identification of each taxon has been verified by phylogenetic approach with a molecular marker adopted for a DNA barcoding of most invertebrates.

New Records of Lake Baikal Leech Fauna: Species Diversity and Spatial Distribution in Chivyrkuy Gulf

The study of several Lake Baikal leech collections offered us the possibility to determine species diversity in the Chivyrkuy Gulf, the biggest one in the lake. As a result, the first information on the Chivyrkuy Hirudinea fauna (Annelida, Clitellata) has been revealed. There are two orders and four families of leeches in the Chivyrkuy Gulf: order Rhynchobdellida (families Glossiphoniidae and Piscicolidae) and order Arhynchobdellida (families Erpobdellidae and Haemopidae). In total, 22 leech species and 2 subspecies belonging to 11 genera were identified. Of these, 4 taxa belong to the family Glossiphoniidae (G. concolor, A. hyalina, A. heteroclita f. papillosa, and A. heteroclita f. striata) recorded in Baikal for the first time. Representatives of 8 unidentified species (Glossophinia sp., Baicaloclepsis sp., Baicalobdella sp., Piscicola sp. 1, Piscicola sp. 2, Erpobdella sp. 1, Erpobdella sp. 2, and Erpobdella sp. 3) have been also recorded. The checklist gives a contemporary overview of the species composition of leech parasites, their hosts, and distribution within the Chivyrkuy Gulf. The analysis of spatial distribution has shown that the leech species diversity is correlated with the biological productivity of the bay. The most diverse community of leech species is detected in the eutrophic zone of the lake.

Occurrence of Three Leech Species (Annelida: Hirudinida) on Fishes in the Kentucky River

ABSTRACT Leeches were collected from six fish species distributed among four of ten sites sampled. The leech species observed were Myzobdella reducta (Meyer 1940) and Myzobdella lugubris Leidy, 1851 of the family Piscicolidae and Placobdella pediculata Hemingway, 1908 of the family Glossiphoniidae. Attachment locations for Myzobdella lugubris included various sites in the buccal cavity of green sunfish [Lepomis cyanellus (Rafinesque)], largemouth bass [Micropterus salmoides (Lacepede)], and spotted bass [Micropterus punctulatus (Rafinesque)] and posterior to the eye of a largemouth bass. Attachment locations for Myzobdella reducta included on the caudal and pelvic fins of logperch [Percina caprodes (Rafinesque)] and the caudal and anal fin of spotfin shiners [Cyprinella spiloptera (Cope)] – a new host record. Attachment location observed for Placobdella pediculata was on the inside of the operculum of a freshwater drum [Aplodinotus grunniens (Rafinesque)]. This study established new host and attachment lo...

Two new species of Helobdella Blanchard 1896 (Hirudinida: Rhynchobdellida: Glossiphoniidae) from Taiwan, with a checklist of hirudinea fauna of the island

In this study, two new species of Helobdella leeches, Helobdella octatestisaca n. sp. and Helobdella melananus n. sp., and a newly recorded species, Helobdella europaea, are reported. Morphological characters and DNA barcode analysis were used to identify the three new species. The differences between these species and other morphologically congeneric species were also compared. In addition, the potential ecological impact of these species was discussed and a checklist of the hirudinea fauna in Taiwan, including eight species in Family Glossiphoniidae, four in Hirudinidae, two in Haemopidae, two in Haemadipsidae, and two in Salifidae, was provided.

Diet and Growth of Northern Pike in the Absence of Prey Fishes: Initial Consequences for Persisting in Disturbance‐Prone Lakes

AbstractThe northern pike Esox lucius is a renowned piscivore, but will prey opportunistically on invertebrates (e.g., in small lakes of boreal Alberta, where winterkill can unexpectedly reduce or eliminate prey fishes). We emulated such a disturbance by stocking a fishless lake with northern pike and then monitored their diet and growth over two summers. Stomach content analysis revealed that stocked adults responded to the sudden absence of prey fishes by specializing on energy‐rich leeches (families Glossiphoniidae and Erpobdellidae), whereas juvenile offspring consumed a broader mix of invertebrates. Stable isotope analysis supported these results and indicated a relatively rapid drop in the trophic position of stocked adults. Compared with growth of northern pike in regional lakes containing prey fishes, growth of adults in the experimental lake was apparently compromised by a diet of invertebrates but growth of juveniles was high. Although long‐term dynamics of northern pike in these disturbance‐prone lakes are undocumented, our results suggest that northern pike are capable of adapting rapidly to the absence of prey fishes; however, such a diet imposes a trophic bottleneck that can lead to stunting.

Phylogenetic evaluation of systematics and biogeography of the leech family Glossiphoniidae

The phylogenetic relationships of Glossiphoniidae, a leech family characterised by its high degree of parental care, were investigated with the combined use of morphological data and three molecular datasets. There was strong support for monophyly of most accepted genera in the group, many of which are consistent with eyespot morphology. The genera Desserobdella Barta & Sawyer, 1990 and Oligobdella Moore, 1918 are suppressed as junior synonyms of Placobdella Blanchard, 1893 and thus recognising each of Placobdella picta (Verrill, 1872) Moore, 1906, Placobdella phalera (Graf, 1899) Moore, 1906, and Placobdella biannulata (Moore, 1900), comb. nov. The species Glossiphonia elegans (Verrill, 1872) Castle, 1900 and Helobdella modesta (Verrill, 1872), comb. nov. are resurrected for the North American counterparts to European non-sanguivorous species. Glossphonia baicalensis (Stschegolew, 1922), comb. nov. is removed from the genus Torix Blanchard 1898 and Alboglossiphonia quadrata (Moore, 1949) Sawyer, 1986 is removed from the genus Hemiclepsis Vejdovsky, 1884. The biogeographic implications of the phylogenetic hypothesis are evaluated in the context of what is already known for vertebrate hosts and Tertiary continental arrangements.

Costs of parental care on hunting behaviour of Helobdella papillornata (Euhirudinea: Glossiphoniidae)

Helobdella papillornata, an Australian freshwater leech, feeds primarily on snails and has a high level of parental care involving brooding eggs and young, with direct feeding of young. Parental costs and offspring benefits from these behaviours are poorly understood. A potential cost of parental care may be a change in the time taken to hunt prey. To test this hypothesis, the hunting behaviour of adults without progeny, parents with eggs, and parents with young were compared. We found that parents brooding eggs had a significantly (P = 0.029) longer lag time to begin hunting than parents brooding young, and spent significantly (P = 0.018) less time actively hunting than non-brooding adults. These costs, which may represent lost potential for the parent’s future reproductive success, should be outweighed by the fitness benefits of improved growth and survival of offspring, if parental care is favoured by selection. The hunting costs of care in Helobdella and other benthic, dorsoventrally flattened leeches in the family Glossiphoniidae may be smaller than the costs of brood tending that would be imposed on other freshwater leeches, and this difference may help explain the restriction of care to a single clade of the Euhirudinea.

Arhynchobdellida (Annelida: Oligochaeta: Hirudinida): phylogenetic relationships and evolution

A remarkable diversity of life history strategies, geographic distributions, and morphological characters provide a rich substrate for investigating the evolutionary relationships of arhynchobdellid leeches. The phylogenetic relationships, using parsimony analysis, of the order Arhynchobdellida were investigated using nuclear 18S and 28S rDNA, mitochondrial 12S rDNA, and cytochrome c oxidase subunit I sequence data, as well as 24 morphological characters. Thirty-nine arhynchobdellid species were selected to represent the seven currently recognized families. Sixteen rhynchobdellid leeches from the families Glossiphoniidae and Piscicolidae were included as outgroup taxa. Analysis of all available data resolved a single most-parsimonious tree. The cladogram conflicted with most of the traditional classification schemes of the Arhynchobdellida. Monophyly of the Erpobdelliformes and Hirudiniformes was supported, whereas the families Haemadipsidae, Haemopidae, and Hirudinidae, as well as the genera Hirudo or Aliolimnatis, were found not to be monophyletic. The results provide insight on the phylogenetic positions for the taxonomically problematic families Americobdellidae and Cylicobdellidae, the genera Semiscolex, Patagoniobdella, and Mesobdella, as well as genera traditionally classified under Hirudinidae. The evolution of dietary and habitat preferences is examined.

Leech mycetome endosymbionts are a new lineage of alphaproteobacteria related to the Rhizobiaceae

Mycetomal organs attached to the esophagus of hematophagous leeches which are known to harbor endosymbiotic bacteria were removed from three species in the leech family Glossiphoniidae. Anatomical observations indicated that placobdellid mycetomes are paired and caecate, inserting into the esophagus posterior to the proboscis. Light and electron microscopy demonstrated that there is a single layer of mycetome epithelial cells harboring Gram-negative rods and that these epithelial cells are ultrastructurally distinct from neighboring esophageal epithelial cells. Fluorescent in situ hybridization with eubacterial and alphaproteobacterial probes localized the bacteria solely to the mycetomes both in adult and in unfed juvenile leeches whereas a gammaproteobacterial probe did not yield a bound fluorescencent signal. DNA was isolated from these tissues and subjected to PCR amplification using bacteria-specific primers for 16S and 23S rDNA. Results from sequencing the amplification products and phylogenetic analysis with other Alphaproteobacteria revealed that the bacteria resident in these organs comprise a new genus of Alphaproteobacteria, Reichenowia n. gen., closely related to the nitrogen-fixing, nodule-forming Rhizobiaceae. The three bacterial strains, though different from each other were each other’s closest relatives, suggesting a history of close coevolution with their leech hosts.

An annotated check list of the leeches (Annelida : Hirudinea) of the Kruger National Park with a key to the species

The diagnosis, distribution and bionomics of the ten species of leeches occurring in the Kruger National Park and a key to the identification of the species are presented. Seven species belong to the family Glossiphoniidae, two to the family Hirudinidae and one species to the family Salifidae. The African fish leech Batracobdelloides tricarinatus and the reptilian parasite Placobdelloidesmultistriatus are the most common species in the park. Two of the three snail leeches occurring in the reserve, viz. Alboglossiphoniadisjuncta and Helobdella conifera, the predaceous Salifa perspicax and the sanguivorous Hirudo michaelseni are widespread but not common. The snail leech Alboglossiphonia conjugata occurs only in the small Madzaringwi River and its tributaries located in the most northern part of the park. The amphibian parasite Oosthuizobdella stuhlmanni was found only at two adjacent localities in the most southern reaches of the park with the sanguivorous Asiatic obdella buntonensis limited to the southern half of the reserve. The host-specific parasite of hippopotami, Placobdelloidesjaegerskioeldi, is restricted to habitats inhabited by its host.