The present state of the leech fauna (Annelida: Hirudinea) in Lithuania
Author
Šatkauskienė, Ingrida
Department of Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Vytautas Magnus University, Universiteto g. 10, 53361 Kaunas, Lithuania
Author
Rutkauskaitė-Sucilienė, Jurgita
0000-0003-4712-1865
Department of Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Vytautas Magnus University, Universiteto g. 10, 53361 Kaunas, Lithuania & jurgita. rutkauskaite-suciliene @ vdu. lt; https: // orcid. org / 0000 - 0003 - 4712 - 1865
jurgita.rutkauskaite-suciliene@vdu.lt
text
Zootaxa
2022
2022-03-11
5115
1
47
62
journal article
20276
10.11646/zootaxa.5115.1.3
5a0c5291-d75d-4770-87d9-da7dbc45a0d0
1175-5326
6346023
87DEE6CD-8170-47B5-B570-47F5131DB25A
Theromyzon tessulatum
(
Müller, 1774
)
(
Figures 4J–K
)
Material examined
: Molėtai (Nr. 4), n=1,
8.viii.2019
; Šilalė (Nr. 8), n=1,
5.vii.2018
; Mūšia (Nr. 14), n=1,
18.vi.2018
; Maišia (Nr. 15), n=2,
vii–viii. 2019
; Šventoji (Nr. 20), n=1,
7.viii.2018
; Siesartis (Nr. 23), n=1,
8.vii.2019
; Akmena (Nr. 26), n=1, 2.2019;Šakarvai (Nr. 29), n=1,
20.viii.2018
; Lūšiai (Nr. 30), n=1,
20.viii.2018
.
Diagnosis
: Body soft and gelatinous.
30 mm
maximum length, and
3–4 mm
width. General color of adult leeches is greenish-brown, dorsal surface is spotted by small black dots. Yellow warts scattered on dorsal surface and light–yellow spots locate on margins of body. Four pairs of eyespots arrange straight in head region (
Fig. 4J–K
). Four annuli between gonopores.
Habitat
:
Theromyzon tessulatum
has been found mainly in ponds from May to August. Specimens bearing juveniles were observed in July. Juveniles of age of one week or more, appeared green due the intestine content (
Fig. 4K
).
Distribution
: Species distributed in Holarctic regions. Based on number of findings in this study (
Table 1
,
Fig. 1
), it seems, that
T. tessulatum
is widespread, but not forming abundant populations. Usually, only solitary individuals occurred in each site.