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Issue: Vol. 4013 No. 3: 9 Sept. 2015
Type: Article
Published: 2015-09-09
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4013.3.5
Page range: 413–427
Abstract views: 39
PDF downloaded: 1

A new leech species (Hirudinida: Erpobdellidae: Erpobdella) from a cave in the West Azerbaijan province of Iran

Department of Zoology, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Oczapowskiego St. 5, 10-718 Olsztyn.
Department of Zoology, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Oczapowskiego St. 5, 10-718 Olsztyn.
Empty Spaces Research, Miłosza St. 14b, 83-000 Pruszcz Gdański.
Department of Zoology, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Oczapowskiego St. 5, 10-718 Olsztyn.
Department of Genetics, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdansk, Wita Stwosza St. 59, 80-308 Gdańsk.
Department of Biology, The University of Winnipeg, 515 Portage Ave., Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, R3B 2E9.
Annelida Hirudinea Erpobdella new species troglobiont morphology body form COI Bayesian inference

Abstract

Erpobdella borisi n. sp. is a predatory leech inhabiting cave waters in Iran. Probably, it is either a troglobiont or troglophile. The leech has no eyes, and the complete mid-body somite is divided unequally into five annuli. Results of phylogenetic analysis based on morphological characters and COI gene sequence indicate the species to be closely related to Erpobdella japonica, E. octoculata and E. testacea.