Placobdella maculata

External morphology

Body depressed and foliaceous; the ratio of total length to maximum width in four specimens is 1.3, 1.9, 2.1, and 2.2. Up to eleven rows of dorsal tubercles—of which seven are more prominent—are present on all annuli. Along the midline lies a single row, flanked on each side by three others: one paramedian, one intermediate (or inner lateral), and one outer lateral. Externally, within the marginal zone, lie two additional rows of smaller warts. On the ventral surface, there are four rows of lateral papillae, situated on the a2 annuli from somite VI through XXV. Two eyes are present on somite III. The mouth is located on the anterior lip of the cephalic hood, at the level of annuli II/III. The posterior lip of the cephalic hood is formed by annuli 5 and 7—specifically IV a3 and V a2—according to Cordero. The posterior sucker measures one-third of the maximum body width. The gonopores are separated by a single annulus (XII a2); the male gonopore is situated at XII a1/a2, and the female at XII a2/a3. The anus is located at XXVII. Somites I, II, and III are uniannulate; somite IV is biannulate, though its two annuli are fused at the margins; somites V through XXIV are triannulate; somite XXV is biannulate (though ventrally appearing as a single annulus); and somites XXVI and XXVII are uniannulate. Color: ochre-yellow (likely greenish in life). Metameric marginal and lateral maculae are present externally to the intermediate warts on each neural annulus (a2), as well as along the midline on annuli a2 and a3. A semicircular cephalic pigment spot is situated across annuli 4, 5, and 6. Seven pairs of spots adorn the rim of the posterior sucker, three of which are visible in dorsal view.

Habitat & range

Habitat

Freshwater

Region

South America

Recorded from

Brazil