Hemiclepsis marginata

External morphology

Up to 25 mm. 2 pairs of eyes. Heart-shapped head. Wide range of coloration with green, brown and yellow pigment granules. Resembles North American Placobdella ornata, with banding on posterior sucker, green patches.

Internal morphology

9-11 pairs of crop caeca

Habitat & range

Habitat

Freshwater

Region

Europe, Asia

Recorded from

Japan, Iraq, Russia, Kazakhstan

Biology

Ectoparasite of fishes and amphibians. In Central Europe common in altitudes 150-450 m and prefering standing waters with rich vegetation. Inhabiting also large rivers.

Taxonomic notes

Doubtfully present outside of Europe/West Asia, but more work has to be done to separate local species in China, Japan, etc.

Original description

Müller, O. F. (1773-1774). Vermium terrestrium et fluviatilium, seu animalium infusoriorum, helminthicorum, et testaceorum, non marinorum, succincta historia. [Book] Vol. 1: 1-136 Infusoria [1773] / Vol1 [part 2] 1-78 Helminthica 1-72 [1774] ; Vol. 2: 1-214 Testacea + index 8 pp. [1774]. Havniæ (Copenhagen) & Lipsiæ (Leipzig): Heineck & Faber.

biodiversitylibrary.org