Checklist / Glossiphoniidae / Helobdella / Helobdella pichipanan
Helobdella pichipanan
· Glossiphoniidae
External morphology
Dorsum dark gray median to light brown/beige paramedially with pale beige broad middorsal longitudinal zone (fig. 38). One pair of dorsal continuous paramedial faded black stripes. Two to three pairs of discontinuous dark and light rows of pigment within the continuous stripes and six or more pairs of discontinuous dark and light rows of marginal to continuous stripes. Two to three pairs of dark transverse lines per annulus. Some dorsal papillation towards posterior end (fig. 38). Venter pale beige with two pairs paramedial faded black stripes (fig. 38). Anterior and posterior sucker of same pale beige color; caudal sucker subterminal. Marginal longitudinal black stripes ventrally. In juveniles, dorsal paramedial stripes conspicuously dark and continuous. Pale, dorsal longitudinal zone, not conspicuous. No dorsal posterior papillation. Inner pair of ventral paramedial stripes prominent and continuous; outer pair discontinuous. Annuli weakly subdivided (figs. 39, 40). Nuchal gland present on VIII a1/a2 (fig. 39). One pair of eyes on III. Base of proboscis at XIII
Internal morphology
Thick salivary ducts at base of proboscis with parenchymal salivary cells; diffuse (fig. 42). Gastric tract tubular with weak caecal bulges midsomite; one pair of postcaeca present and four pairs of intestinal caeca (fig. 43). Gonads micromorphic. Male atria very weakly developed, nearly absent (fig. 41). Ejaculatory ducts extend only to XII/XIII. Ovisacs extend only to XII/XIII (fig. 41).
Habitat & range
- Habitat
- Freshwater
- Region
- South America
- Recorded from
- Chile
Original description
Siddall, Mark E. & Elizabeth Borda. 2004. Leech collections from Chile including two new species of Helobdella (Annelida: Hirudinida). American Museum Novitates(3457): 1-18.