Placobdella striata

External morphology

Body ovoid to sublanceolate, depressed, with the anterior end tapered. The largest specimens in the original material measured approximately 13 mm in length. Dorsal tubercles are arranged in a median row across all annuli, as well as in several irregular lateral rows; in any case, each annulus bears two tubercles on either side of the midline. Gonopores are separated by two annuli: the male orifice is located at XI/XII, and the female orifice at XII a1/a2. Two eyes are present on segment III (a1–a2). The capitulum is formed by the first four segments. The anus is situated at XXVI/XXVII. Somite I is uniannulate; II and III are biannulate; IV through XXIII are triannulate (or complete); XXIV is biannulate; and XXV through XXVII are uniannulate.Color brownish or grayish, paler on the ventral surface. A single black longitudinal median band is present, flanked on either side by ten black stripes; these stripes run parallel to one another in the mid-body region, but converge and fuse in pairs at both the anterior and posterior ends. Additionally, a much shorter, supramarginal stripe is visible on each side, situated upon the posterior annuli.

Internal morphology

Endosomatic characters: 7 pairs of gastric caeca, commencing in segment XIII. Five pairs of testes.

Habitat & range

Habitat

Freshwater

Region

South America

Recorded from

Brazil