Pontobdella
Genus of leeches
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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.
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| Pontobdella | |
|---|---|
| |
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 | |
Distribution
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]
Classification
The genus was described by William Elford Leach. Pontobdella is placed in the family Piscicolidae,[1] and is confirmed to form a monophyletic grouping.[5]: 193
Species
The World Register of Marine Species lists the following species:[6]
- Pontobdella aculeata Harding, 1924
- Pontobdella afra Baird, 1869
- Pontobdella biannulata Moore, 1957
- Pontobdella californiana Burreson & Passarelli, 2015
- Pontobdella dispar Cordero, 1938
- Pontobdella leucothela Schmarda, 1861
- Pontobdella macrothela Schmarda, 1861
- Pontobdella moorei Oka, 1910
- Pontobdella muricata (Linnaeus, 1758)
- Pontobdella novaezealandiae Burreson & Williams, 2008
- Pontobdella oligothela Schmarda, 1861
- Pontobdella prionodiscus Schmarda, 1861
- Pontobdella variegata Baird, 1869
- Pontobdella vosmaeri (Apáthy, 1888)
