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
Hemiclepsis
marginata
(
Müller, 1774
)
(
Figure 2C
)
Material examined
. Raseika (Nr. 1) n=2,
9.viii.2019
; Išlaužas (Nr. 5), n=1,
21.viii.2018
; Klibiai (Nr. 7), n=3,
4.vii.2018
; Grūšlaukė (Nr. 9), n=1,
vii.2019
; Tūbinė (Nr. 10), n=2,
15.vii.2018
. Viešvilė (Nr. 12), n=1,
10.vi.2019
; Šventoji (Nr. 20), n=1,
7.viii.2018
; Siesartis (Nr. 23), n=2,
8.viii.2019
;Akmena (Nr. 26), n=1,
2.ix.2019
; Lampėdžiai (Nr. 37), n=1,
11.ix.2019
.
Diagnosis.
Body flat, leaf–shape.
20–30 mm
length, and
3–4 mm
width. Ventral surface pale, spotted with small dark dots, framed by colorful edge of body. Dorsal surface is mottled with greenish, yellow, and black dots. Dense punctured brown lines produce background of brown color. Four rows of light papillae and dark greenish dotted line continue in back side. Edges of body are streaked by alternating yellowish and brown colors. Oral sucker is leaf shape, clearly distinguishing from the body (
Fig. 2C
). The posterior sucker is round and well developed.
H. marginata
has two pairs of eyespots, anterior pair is smaller than posterior.
Habitat.
Hemiclepsis
marginata
is common in shallow margins of lakes and ponds overgrown by vegetation. Submerged plants and tree branches were a prevalent microhabitat of these leeches.
Distribution.
Palearctic species, common in
Lithuania
. During this study, the species was found in various regions of the country (
Table 1
).