Family HAEMADIPSIDAE Blanchard, 1893

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Introduction

Terrestrial (land) leeches with specialised adaptations such as occular areolae (sensory) and auricles (locomotion). Occular areolae are specialised sensory structures located on the dorsal surface of the head. Auricles are specialised flaps located next to the posterior sucker and connected with the urinary system. These flaps are are used to distribute urine over the posterior suckers keeping it moist. In addition to these adaptations, terrestrial leeches produce cocoons that have a special protein coat that prevents the cocoons from becoming desiccated.

Borda & Siddall (2010) examined the phylogeny of Haemadipsidae, using molecular analyses and proposed a new subfamily Tritetrabdellinae, increasing to three teh number recognised. These subfamilies, Haemadipsinae, Domanibdellinae and Tritetrabdellinae, are not used here for teh present.

Diagnosis

Two jaws, occular areolae, auricles next to the posterior sucker, posterior sucker with distinct rays, terrestrial.

General References

Borda, E. & Siddall, M.E. 2010. Insights into the evolutionary history of Indo-Pacific bloodfeeding terrestrial leeches (Hirudinida: Arhynchobdellida: Haemadipsidae). Invertebrate Systematics 24: 456-472

History of changes