Haemopis sanguisuga (Linnaeus, 1758)

Darabi-Darestani, Kaveh, Sari, Alireza & Sarafrazi, Alimorad, 2016, Five new records and an annotated checklist of the leeches (Annelida: Hirudinida) of Iran, Zootaxa 4170 (1), pp. 41-70 : 55-56

Haemopis sanguisuga (Linnaeus, 1758)

( Fig. 12 and Plate IV 2 A&B)

Material examined. ZUTC-ann 1013, 1015, 1019, 1021, 1022, 1026.

Roudbar to Jamshid Abad road, Sepidroud river bank, Guilan, (N 36 ° 55΄ 44.8˝, E 49° 30΄ 56.4 ˝), 137m, ZUTC 6021 . Chaf wetland, Langroud , Guilan, (N 37° 33΄ 28.30˝, E 50° 12΄ 50.1˝), - 3m, ZUTC 6029 . Bashman, Anzali , Guilan, (N 37° 29΄ 59.2˝, E 49° 21΄ 11.1˝), - 15m, ZUTC 6025 . Kamangar Kola, Babol , Mazandaran, (N 36° 33΄ 28.30˝, E 52° 40΄ 22.3˝), 0m, ZUTC 6032 . Pilebagh, Ghazian, Anzali wetland (N 37° 27΄ 54.8˝, E 49° 27΄ 59.9˝), - 26m, ZUTC 6033 . Ghaladbaz cheshme, Harsin , Kermanshah, (N 34° 15΄ 36.8˝, E 47° 34΄ 41˝), 1574m, ZUTC 6036 . Galougerd, Boldaji, Boroujen , (N 31° 54΄ 59˝, E 50° 51΄ 27˝), 2224m, ZUTC 6044 . Aloughare, Charamahal-va-Bakhtiari , (N 31° 52΄ 28˝, E 50° 56΄ 1 ˝), 2405m, ZUTC 6046 . Gandoman wetland, Charamahalva-Bakhtiari , (N 31° 49΄ 56.3˝, E 51° 08΄ 11.8˝), ~ 2200m, ZUTC 6040 . Choghakhor wetland, Chaharmahal-va- Bakhtiari , (N 31° 56΄ 21.6˝, E 50° 54΄ 7.9˝), ~ 2200m, ZUTC 6042 . Khalkhal to Givi , Ardabil (N 37 °40.9΄ 50˝ E: 48 °30.2΄ 21 ˝), 1717m, ZUTC 6051 . Namin, Ardabi (N 38° 26΄ 67˝, E 48° 38.1΄ 69˝), 1465m, ZUTC 6053 . Anzab village, Dolat Abad, Ardabi (N 38° 21΄ 47.4˝, E 48° 18.1΄ 45.8˝), 1234 m, ZUTC 6054 . Aharchay river, 15 km to Ahar from Meshkin Shahr , Azerbaijan Sharghi, (N 38° 26΄ 49.1˝, E 47° 09΄ 52.1˝), 1284 m, ZUTC 6057 ( Fig.1 ).

General distribution and habitats. Palaearctic species (Grosser et al. 2015), also reported by Bennike (1940) from western Iran and Grosser & Pešić (2006) from southeastern central Iran. Living in muddy substrates of ponds, wetlands, rice fields or irrigation canals usually attached to logs or plastic objects.

Descriptive features and remarks. Large cylindrical leeches (up to 140 mm). Lateral keels absent. Caudal sucker never more than 50% of body width. Genital pores separated by five annuli. Penis often visible. Dorsally uni-colored (black or dark brown) with random scattered dots in adults while a variety of patterns as stripes, spots or dots and rectangular pattern visible in juveniles. Ventrally, dark or brown in adults and juveniles. Papillae absent.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Distribution map of the known leech fauna of Iran. Circles: Localities of present study. Squares: Localities from available literature.

FIGURE 12. Haemois sanguisuga Dorsal view (a) plus ventral view (b) of the adult specimen and dorsal view of juveniles showing different patterns (c). M: male genital pore and F: female genital pore.