Of the Connecticut Lakes Region of Northern New Hampshire

Proc. Helminthol. Soc. Wash. 53(2), 1986, pp. 294-295

Research Note Notes on Leeches (Hirudinea) of the Connecticut Lakes Region of Northern New Hampshire

DOUGLAS G. SMITH Museum of Zoology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003-0027 and Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138

The freshwater leech (Hirudinea) fauna of Kendall and Goldsboroughs'(1908, loc. cit.) data northern New England, particularly New Hamp- which would have added 2 species (M. fervida shire, is poorly known when compared to south- and B. picta) to the New Hampshire fauna, ern parts of the region. The only report giving bringing the total number of species to 7. In a distribution data on New Hampshire leeches is recent survey conducted during August 1985, of by Kendall and Goldsborough (1908, Report the Connecticut Lakes district of northernmost Commission Fisheries (U.S.), 1907, Special Pa- New Hampshire, leech collections were made that pers (633): 1-77) in which Mooreobdella (their resulted in many new records for New Hamp- Dind) fervida, Glossiphonia (their Glossyphonid) shire and documented the first New England re- complanata, and Batracobdella (their Placob- cord for 1 species (Table 1). delld) picta (Verrill) are listed. Klemm's (1985, The Connecticut Lakes and associated streams pages 70-173 in D. J. Klemm, ed. A Guide to comprise the headwaters of the Connecticut Riv- the Freshwater Annelida of North America. er, a major south-flowing river in New England. Kendall-Hunt, Dubuque) comprehensive syn- A few of the species collected during this survey thesis of North American leech distribution lists are northern in their distribution, known else- only 5 species (including B. picta) known to occur where in New England only in Maine, or Canada, in New Hampshire. Klemm (1985, loc. cit.), and are unknown from the more temperate whose nomenclature is followed, did not include southern parts of the Connecticut River system

Table 1. Species of leeches collected during this study and previously in New Hampshire. NR indicates not recorded in this study.

Species Sites of collection

Glossiphoniidae Actinobdella inequiannulata Moore, 1901 § NR Batracobdella picta (Verrill, 1872)^ 1, 8, 10 Glossiphonia complanata (Linn., 1758)^-§ 1, 2, 3, 8, 10, 12 Helobdella stagnalis (Linn., 1758)* 1 Helobdella triserialis (E. Blanchard, 1849)§ NR Placobdella ornata (Verrill, 1872)* 1, 10, 12 Theromyzon biannulatum Klemm, 1977f 7 Hirudinidae Haemopis grandis (Verrill, 1874)* 8 Haemopis marmorata (Say, 1824)* 1, 3, 6, 8, 11 Macrobdella decora (Say, 1824) § NR Erpobdellidae Dina dubia Moore and Meyer, 1951* 7, 12 Erpobdella p. punctata (Leidy, 1870)§ 7, 9, 10 Mooreobdella fervida (Verrill, 1871)$ NR Nephelopsis obscura (Verrill, 1872)* 3, 4, 5, 8, 10, 12

* First New Hampshire record, t First New England record. $ Kendall and Goldsborough (1908). § Klemm (1985).

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45°20' N senting 3 families, the other 4 species previously known from New Hampshire are included in Ta- ble 1. Among the 10 species collected, Glossi- phonia complanata, Nephelopsis obscura, and Haemopis marmorata were most common; Theromyzon biannulatum, Haemopis grandis, • 45°10 ' and Helobdella stagnalis were least common. An interesting discovery was T. biannulatum, which is poorly understood both taxonomically and biogeographically. The 2 specimens collected were free-living adults, 1 greatly gorged with blood, the other typically translucent and gelat- inous (Sawyer, 1972, Illinois Biological Mono- graphs 46:1-146), and brooding 37 young. An- 71°00 ' nulation was difficult to discern (see Klemm, Figure 1. Map showing Connecticut Lakes region 1977, Michigan Academician 9:397-418), how- of New Hampshire and collection sites. Numbers refer ever, in 1 specimen, the gonopores were clearly to sites listed in text. separated by 2 annuli. The pigmentation was chiefly made up of a green background with small in Massachusetts and Connecticut (Klemm, 1985, orange-yellow spots distributed throughout the loc. cit; Smith, unpubl. records). The occurrence dorsal surface. The more distinctive spots were of these northern species in the upper Connect- arranged roughly in 4 longitudinal rows. The body icut River watershed possibly represents the ex- margins were extensively spotted with alternat- tent of their southward range in this portion of ing orange-yellow patches as well. Black chro- New England. matophores were not apparent. Leeches were collected at 12 locations corre- Dina dubia is rare in New England, having sponding to numbers in Figure 1. The locations been reported previously in New England only are: 1, Indian Stream; 2, flooded meadow holes from Maine (Klemm, 1985, loc. cit.). Dina dubia along Indian Stream; 3, beaver ponds along In- has been considered a species with a more west- dian Stream; 4, Dead Water Stream near Lake erly distribution in North America (Sawyer, 1972, Francis; 5, Scott Brook; 6, Perry Stream below loc. cit.; Davies, 1973, Canadian Journal of Zo- Lamb Valley Brook; 7, First Connecticut Lake ology 51:531-545). Prior to Klemm's (1985, loc. near its dam; 8, Round Pond; 9, Second Con- cit.) account no published records existed of this necticut Lake along its west shore; 10, Connect- species east of the Great Lakes region. icut River below Third Connecticut Lake; 11, Batracobdella picta was found often in asso- Third Connecticut Lake along U.S. Route 3; 12, ciation with H. marmorata. In 2 instances, spec- Scott Bog at its outlet. All collection sites are in imens of B. picta were collected while attached Pittsburgh, Coos County except site 4 which is to H. marmorata and were apparently feeding in Clarksville, Coos County. Specimens were col- on the Haemopis individuals as evidenced by lected by hand or dip net and were identified by the enlarged digestive ceca and the tenacity and the author. Preserved specimens have been placed duration of attachment of the B. picta specimens. in the Invertebrate Division of the Museum of I thank Karsten Hartel and Frank Ross for their Zoology, University of Massachusetts at Am- assistance in the field and the Connecticut River herst. Watershed Council for providing financial assis- In addition to the 10 species collected, repre- tance.