Baicaloclepsis grubei Lukin & Epstein, 1960

Kaygorodova, Irina A., 2015, Annotated checklist of the leech species diversity in the Maloe More Strait of Lake Baikal, Russia, ZooKeys 545, pp. 37-52 : 44

Taxon classification Animalia Rhynchobdellea Glossiphoniidae

Baicaloclepsis grubei Lukin & Epstein, 1960

Clepsine echinulata (part.): Grube 1871; Haementeria echinulata : Dogiel & Bogolepova 1957.

Geographic distribution.

Endemic to Lake Baikal.

Maloe More: Zagly Bay, Khargoy Bay, Semisosennaya Bay, Elgay Bay.

Ecological characteristics.

Endemic to Lake Baikal. Large leeches (length of 30-40 mm, width of 10-15 mm). Baicaloclepsis grubei were found only within the Maloe More Strait at relatively shallow depths of 14-40 m. This leech cannot swim and apparently can move only slowly. Since Baicaloclepsis grubei has a comparatively small posterior sucker, it is unlikely that it can provide a strong fastening to a host. In addition, this species probably spends a significant part of its life in a free-living state. All specimens were collected from benthic samples. The question of a potential host of this bloodsucking leech remains open.