Major Group: Hirudinea
Order: Arhynchobdellida |
Descriptive Features: body margins parallel, elongate, somewhat depressed but some cylindroid leeches, broader posteriorly, tapering anteriorly
midbody somites 5- or 6-annulate (but some may be 7-annulate)
head consisting mostly of a shallow scoop-like ventrally directed oral sucker with well formed ventral and lateral margins overhung by a flexible upper lip of several annuli
5 pairs of eyes, along the dorsal margin of head area
large mouth filling the entire anterior sucker
jaws either present or absent
Total length: 25 – 150 mm
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Hirudinidae Richardsonianus australis |
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Erpobdellidae |
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Taxonomic Checklist: Families
Erpobdellidae
Barbronia weberi Blanchard (intro from southeast Asia)
Dineta cylindrica Goddard
Vivabdella arcana Richardson
Hirudinidae
Bassianobdella 3 species
Eunomobdella yaldwyni Richardson
Euranophila centrale Richardson
Goddardobdella elegans Grube
Habeobdella stagni Richardson
Kaiyabdella dawbini Richardson
Priscabdella hickmani Richardson
Quantenobdella howensis Richardson
Richardsonianus australis Bosisto
Ornithobdellidae
Aetheobdella hirudoides Moore
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Distribution: all states
Sensitivity Rating: SIGNAL grade 1,4
Functional Feeding Group: predators |
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Russell Falls at Mt Field NP, Tas |
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Ecology: Instream habitat: Arhynchobdellida species are aquatic and semi-aquatic leeches inhabiting freshwater. The exotic species, Barbronia weberi, (introduced from southeast Asia) is often associated with aquatic vegetation. Hirudinidae species spend part of their life out of the water.
Feeding ecology: Arhynchobdellida leeches are predators, scavengers or blood feeders that feed on a variety of invertebrate species or the blood of vertebrates. Erpobdellidae species are macrophagous predators that swallow prey organisms whole or in pieces.
Habit:
Life history: All Arhynchobdellida species deposit cocoons that develop a hard surface in order to protect the enclosed eggs. Eggs are small, embedded into a protein fluid but not with a yolk. Some Hirudinidae species deposit cocoons in terrestrial habitats which is possibly a means to reduce the destruction of the offspring by aquatic predators such as snails, insect larvae and fish. Erpobdellidae species are protandrous hermaphrodites i.e. the same animal functions first as a male for distribution of sperm and then as a female for production of eggs. Exchange of spermatophores occurs during copulation and usually takes place in the night. Within one to two days after copulation the leeches produce the first cocoon. Hatching occurs three weeks later. Barbronia weberi uses plants as a substrate for stability and for the attachment of cocoons. Reproductively mature Barbronia weberi produce cocoons every week for up to three months, after which time the adults age and die. Eggs hatch within the cocoon after two days and juveniles remain in the cocoon for about 27 days. After leaving the cocoon, the juvenile body size quickly increases with a near adult size being reached after 90 days. Developing leeches became reproductively mature within four months of hatching. Adult leeches die several months after becoming reproductively mature. |
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Information Sources: Govedich 2001, 2002, Richardson 1968, Govedich et al. 2003, Pfeiffer et al. 2005, Kutschera & Wirtz 2001
Key to Families & Genera & Species: Govedich 2001
A key to families has not been included here because dissection of specimens and slide mounting is required for all characters to be viewed. |
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hirudinid leech feeding on a tadpole |
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hirudinid leech feeding on a tadpole |
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