Americobdella

Americobdella is a genus of carnivorous leeches from southern Chile, comprising only the species, Americobdella valdiviana.

Americobdella valdiviana
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Annelida
Class:
Clitellata
Subclass:
Hirudinea
Order:
Arhynchobdellida
Family:
Americobdellidae
Genus:
Americobdella
Species:
A. valdiviana
Binomial name
Americobdella valdiviana
(Philippi, 1872)
Synonyms

Macrobdella valdiviana Philippi, 1872

Taxonomy

Philippi, who originally classified A. valdiviana as an erpobdellid leech, noted that Americobdella valdiviana was similar to Trocheta (now synonymized with Erpobdella) "in both appearance and habit".[1] It is phylogenically between two major groups of leeches, the Rhynchobdellida and the Arhynchobdellida.[1] Recent work has suggested A. valdiviana is more closely related to the Erpobdelliformes than the Hirudiniformes.[1]

Description

Americobdella valdiviana is a predator and has only rudimentary jaws. Because of these features, it was originally classified as an erpobdellid leech.[1] A. valdiviana is grey-coloured on the dorsal side with a yellowish ventral side. Whether eyes are present in this species is a matter of debate. While Philippi originally described Americobdella valdiviana as having no eyes, other authors have indicated that eyes are indeed present.[1]

Diet

A. valdiviana feeds on earthworms.[1]

References
  1. Siddall, Mark E.; Elizabeth Borda (2004). "Leech Collections from Chile Including Two New Species of Helobdella" (PDF). American Museum Novitates. New York: American Museum of Natural History. ISSN 0003-0082. Retrieved 22 March 2010.
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