Pontobdella
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| Pontobdella | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Annelida |
| Clade: | Pleistoannelida |
| Clade: | Sedentaria |
| Class: | Clitellata |
| Subclass: | Hirudinea |
| Order: | Rhynchobdellida |
| Family: | Piscicolidae |
| Genus: | Pontobdella Leach, 1815 |
| Type species | |
| Hirudo muricata | |
Pontobdella is a species of marine leeches with a cosmopolitan distribution. They are covered with tubercles and their primary hosts are rays, sharks, skates, and sawfish.
Pontobdella species are found on the coasts of Africa, Eurasia, the Americas, New Zealand, and even Antarctica.[1]
Characteristics
A prominent feature of Pontobdella leeches are the "wart-like" tubercles which cover their bodies all over. Pontobdella's hosts are generally elasmobranchs – rays, sharks, skates, and sawfish. Each segment of the leech's body (and all leeches have 32) has three or four annuli.[2][3]: 236 They are large leeches; one species, Pontobdella novaezealandiae, can grow as long as 20 centimetres.[3]: 236 [4]
