IX-th International Conference of Zoologists, 12-13 October 2016 229 LEECH FAUNA (CLITELLATA: EUHIRUDINEA) OF ROMANIA: CHECk-LIST AND NEW INFORMATION ON THE TAxONOMY, ECOLOGY AND DISTRIBUTION Victor Surugiu University „Alexandru Ioan Cuza” from Iasi, Romania e-mail: [email protected] Leeches (Annelida: Clitellata: Euhirudinea) of Romania were studied on the basis of published records and results of recent surveys conducted by the author. The objec- tives of this study were to summarize recent taxonomic information and to update the checklist of leeches using material collected from 2014 to 2016. Altogether, 28 species, representing 15 genera, 5 families, and 2 orders, are reported from Romania. A detailed description of the distributions of rare species and characterization of localities from which they are reported are presented. Plausible modes of dispersal and propagation of species in South-eastern Europe are discussed. Most leeches in Romania are thermophilic freshwater species inhabiting stagnant as well as running waters, a few species are considered to be amphibious and only one species is marine. Leeches are common in eutrophic waters and often serve as indica- tors of pollution (Cristea, 1979). The first systematic and anatomical-histological research of leeches from Romania was conducted by Scriban (1904). He mentions 12 species belonging to 10 genera from waters surrounding city of Iaşi, from running mountain streams of Moldova and from stagnant lakes of Dobrogea. Further leeches from Romania were added, including the following species: Trocheta subviridis Dutrochet, 1817 by Scriban (1910), Piscico- la respirans Troschel, 1850 by Epure (1945), Dina lineata (O.F. Müller, 1774) by Epure (1947), Erpobdella monostriata (Gedroyć, 1916) by Pawłowski (1948), ?Piscicola fasciata Kollar, 1842 by Popescu-Gorj & Costea (1961), Trocheta bykowskii Gedroyć, 1913 by Motaş et al. (1961), Erpobdella nigricollis (Brandes, 1900) by Manoleli (1971), Thero- myzon maculosum (Rathke, 1862) and Erpobdella testacea (Savigny, 1822) by Manole- li (1974), Dina apathyi Gedroyć, 1916 and Dina stschegolewi (Lukin et Epstein, 1960) by Cristea (1975), Pontobdella muricata (Linnaeus, 1758) and Archaeobdella esmonti Grimm, 1876 by Cristea & Manoleli (1977), Limnatis nilotica (Savigny, 1822) by Cris- tea (1979). In 1972 Manoleli described a new species, Limnatis bacescui, from a small creek in Dobrogea and in 1998 Manoleli, Klemm & Sârbu described another species, Haemopis caeca, from a sulphidic lake in the Movile Cave. Although some of leeches are common and well described their study in the terri- tory of Romania has been neglected for a long time. Thus all previous reports of Hirudo medicinalis Linné, 1758 in Romania are ques- tionable as recent monitoring conducted in 2014–2016 revealed only specimens be- longing to Hirudo verbana Carena, 1820. Sustainable use, protection of animal world and forest 230 management in the context of climate change The largest European leech species used as a bait of Silurus glanis (Linnaeus, 1758) turned out to belong to Trocheta danastrica Stschegolew, 1938. Older records of this species refer to as Trocheta bykowskii. Specimens encountered in hipocrenal habitats were ascribed to Trocheta cylindrica Örley, 1886. In the previous Carpathian records, the preoccupied name Erpobdella monostriata (Gedroyć, 1916) has been employed instead of the correct designation Erpobdella vil- nensis (Liskiewicz, 1925). Erpobdella vilnensis was found in Carpathian streams and small rivers with rocky bottom..