Hemiclepsis marginata ( Mueller , 1774)

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 : 42

Taxon classification Animalia Rhynchobdellea Glossiphoniidae

Hemiclepsis marginata ( Mueller, 1774)

Hirudo marginata : Müller 1774; Hirudo variegates : Braun 1805; Hirudo cephalota Carena 1820; Hirudo oscillatoria : Saint-Amas 1825; Piscicola tesselata : Maquin-Tandon 1826; Piscicola linearis : Kollar 1842; Glossobdella cephalota : Blainville 1827; Haemoharis marginata : Filippi 1837; Glossiphonia marginata : Maquin-Tandon 1846; Hirido flava : Dalyell 1953; Glossiphonia flava : Johnston 1865; Glossiphonia marginata : Blanchard 1892.

Geographic distribution.

Palaearctic region. A closely related taxon Hemiclepsis marginata asiatica Moore, 1924, is known from Cashmere to Sumatra. Its relationship to the nominate subspecies is still doubtful.

Maloe More: Kurma Bay, Mukhor Bay, Khuzhir-Nugho Bay, Lake Khankhoy, Lake Surkhaytor-Nur, Lake Zunduk.

Ecological characteristics.

This species inhabits Europe and Asia. In Central Europe, however, it is rare, whereas in Eastern Siberia it is widespread. As a sanguivorous ectoparasite it feeds on fishes and amphibians. Hemiclepsis marginata is able to move actively. When not on a host, Hemiclepsis marginata usually is found beneath large stones in shallow water or on submerged macrophytes. It can be found in all types of freshwater habitats and often thrives in stagnant water, weedy ponds, and, less often, in streams.