University of Nebraska - Lincoln DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln Transactions of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences and Affiliated Societies Nebraska Academy of Sciences 1991 Leeches (Annelida: Hirudinea) in Central and Western Nebraska William A. Moser University of Toronto Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/tnas Part of the Life Sciences Commons Moser, William A., "Leeches (Annelida: Hirudinea) in Central and Western Nebraska" (1991). Transactions of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences and Affiliated Societies. 155. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/tnas/155 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Nebraska Academy of Sciences at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in Transactions of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences and Affiliated Societiesy b an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. 1991. Transactions of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences, XVIII: 87-91 LEECHES (ANNELIDA: HIRUDINEA) IN CENTRAL AND WESTERN NEBRASKA WIlliam A. Moser School of Biological Sciences University of Nebraska-Lincoln Lincoln, Nebraska 68588-0118 Current address: DepartrnentofZoo~gy University of Toronto Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A1 Canada Sixteen sites in western and central Nebraska were MATERIALS AND METHODS sampled for leeches. Of the ten species found, three are newly recorded in Nebraska: Alboglossiphonia hetero­ From late May through early August, 1990, I col­ clita, Dina dubia, and Theromyzon biannulatum. The lected leeches from lotic and len tic habitats in habitats and ecology of each species are described. Arthur, Cherry, Custer, Garden, Keith, McPherson, and Wheeler counties (Fig. 1). They were hand­ t t t collected from submerged logs, rocks, sticks, vege­ tation, and turtles and taken to Cedar Point Biologi­ INTRODUcrION cal Station in Keith County, where they were exam­ ined alive whenever possible. If their movements There has been a revival of interest in the use of prevented identification, they were placed in 30% hematophagous (blood feeding) leeches for medici­ Nembutal for up to three hours to relax them for fixa­ nal purposes (Claude, 1937; Bagdasarova, 1969; Ga­ tion. They were then identified and fixed in alco­ sic et aI., 1983; Lent, 1986; Sawyer, 1986) and for vet­ hol-formalin-acetic acid for 24 hours and stored in erinary medicine (Cooper, 1990; Hendrix and 40% glycerol in ethanol. Klemm's (1982) key was Shealy, 1991). However, only about half ~f the used to identify them, primarily on the basis of ex­ known leech species are hematophagous, whIle the ternal morphology. In some cases, it was necessary others are scavengers and predators of inverte­ to dissect the specimen to identify it using internal brates. Leeches can be used to control invertebrate morphological characters. vectors of harmful parasites (Cooper, 1990) and are regarded as indicators of water quality (Mann, RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 1955a, b). Ten species representing three families were Limited data are available on the distribution of found, of which three are new records for Nebraska leeches in North America. Three studies provide (Fig. 1; Table I). information on Nebraska leeches. The earliest was that of Verrill (1874) as part of a Yale University Family Glossiphoniidae scientific expedition. The second was Ward's (1902) survey of leeches of the world, which included Theromyzon biannulatum Klemm some from Nebraska. Dang and Curtin (1978) re­ ported nine species in eastern Nebraska. Here I This leech represents a new generic record for present a complementary survey from central and Nebraska. It was collected at two places-Swan western Nebraska. Lake in Arthur County and Martin Bay pond in 88 Leeches in Nebraska r--...r-/ ~~- Cherry 13 I-- 3 11 2 14 Hooker Grant WMeIer I-- 1 Garden McPherson I IArthur 4 11 12 Custer ~1.. r J~ Sl1 5610 t-- / \ J Kehh 7 1~ , V r---) :l. ~ I 1. I \ Figure 1. Location -of collecting sites in Nebraska. 1. Hackberry Lake. 2. Drainage pond (1 mile west of Whitman). 3. Stream (10 miles north of Whitman). 4. Swan Lake. 5. Martin Bay pond. 6. Keystone/Ogallala Reservoir. 7. Beckius Pond. S. Sand Creek. 9. Pond near Sand Creek. 10. Cedar Creek. 11. Diamond Bar Slough. 12. Arnold State Recreation Area. 13. Stream off Mud Lake. 14. Clearwater Creek. Keith County-under lilypads (Nymphaea) and on and lotic environments. Specimens were collected arrowheads (Sagittaria). One brooding adult was in Arthur County (Swan Lake) and Keith County collected from the underside of a lilypad, but most (Keystone/Ogallala Lake, Cedar Creek, pond near specimens were immature and in erect posture, with Sand Creek, Sand Creek, and Martin Bay pond). their anterior end pointing upward. Thus, they were They were collected from submerged logs and from positioned to attach to waterfowl to acquire a first or between the leaves on reeds. second meal of blood. They attach to the nasal mu­ cous membranes of the bird, and they have been re­ Glossiphonia complanata, commonly called the ported to feed on the blood from eyes of birds as well snail leech or mollusc leech, is nocturnal and feeds (Sawyer, 1972, 1986). on the soft parts of gastropods (Moore, 1964; Mann, 1962; Sawyer, 1986). Gastropods are the majority of Its life history is probably similar to that of other its diet, but it also consumes oligochaetes, larval members of the genus such as T. rude Baird and T. chironomids, and amphipods (Wrona et al., 1979). tessulatum Muller, both of which require three blood Although it is an aggressive predator, it is quite meals to reach maturity and do not feed after copula­ lethargic compared to other glossiphoniids. An ex­ tion (Davies and Wilkialis, 1980; Wilkialis and cellent, stereotypical account of the feeding mecha­ Davies, 1980). This leech exhibits a free-living nis of G. complanata was given by Gale (1973). breeding and brooding period similar to that of Pla­ cobdella. The adults search for a blood meal using Plaeobdella, ornata Verrill chemoreception (response to preen-gland secretions) and thermoreception (Sawyer, 1972, Placobdella ornata was found in eight locali­ 1986). ties: Arthur County (Swan Lake); Keith County (Beckius Pond, Cedar Creek, Martin Bay pond, Glossiphonia complanata Linnaeus Sand Creek, and a pond near Sand Creek); McPher­ son County (Diamond Bar slough); and Cherry Glossiphonia complanata is cosmopolitan. In County (tributary of Mud Lake). Nebraska it is frequently encountered both in lentic Leeches in Nebraska 89 Table I. List of species and localities It is a hematophagous leech that feeds primarily on turtles. It has also been found to feed on human Arthur County blood. It has a free-living stage when it breeds and Swan Lake then broods its young, primarily in summer Alboglossiphonia heteroclita months. However, P. ornata has been found brood­ Erpobdella punctata ing as early as April and as late as October (Sawyer, Glossiphonia complanata 1972). During this time it is commonly found in Helobdella fusca shallow water, and I collected it under submerged Helobdella stagnalis Macrobdella decora logs and on sticks and rocks and occasionally on a Placobdella ornata turtle. The substrate at the breeding and brooding Theromyzon biannulatum period is smooth submerged wood, usually stripped ChexTy County of bark and resting on the bottom. Stream ten miles north of Whitman Dina dubia Placobdella parositrea Say Tributary of Mud Lake Macrobdella decora Although Placobdella parasitica is widely dis­ Placobdella ornata tributed in the United States (Sawyer, 1972; Klemm, Custer County 1982), only four specimens were collected in Keith Arnold Lake State Recreation Area County (Beckius Pond) under a submerged log dur­ Helobdella fusca ing the summer breeding and brooding period. Garden County Hackberry Lake This leech seasonally feeds on turtle blood, but it is Macrobdella decora not as likely to detach after a blood meal as P. or­ Grant County nata (Sawyer, 1986). As such, P. parasitica is not Drainage pond one mile west of Whitman encountered as often as P. ornata in lotic and len tic Erpobdella punctata debris. Keith County Beckius Pond Helobdella stagnalis Linnaeus Placobdella ornata Placobdella parasitica Helobdella stagnalis is on all continents except Cedar Creek Australia (Sawyer, 1986). It was originally reported Erpobdella punctata Glossiphonia complanata in Nebraska by Verrill (1874), under the name of Haemopis marmorata Clepsine modesta. Ward (1902) collected it and Placobdella ornata called it Glossiphonia stagnalis. Dang and Curtin Keystone/Ogallala Lake (1978) found it, and I collected it in Arthur County Erpobdella punctata (Swan Lake), Keith County (Keystone/Ogallala Glossiphonia complanata Lake), and Wheeler County (Clearwater Creek); it Helobdella stagnalis usually was under submerged logs and on aquatic Martin Bay pond vegetation. Glossiphonia complanata Helobdella fusca It consumes molluscs, small oligochaetes, and Placobdella ornata aquatic insects (Hilsenhoft, 1963; Thut, 1969; Theromyzon biannulatum Pond near Sand Creek Sawyer, 1972). It is unique among North American Erpobdella punctata leeches because it has a chitinous, horny, brown Glossiphonia complanata nuchal scute (Sawyer, 1972; Klemm, 1982) of un­ Placobdella ornata known function. Sand Creek Glossiphonia complanata Helobdella fusca Castle Placobdella ornata McPherson County I collected Helobdella fusca in Arthur County Diamond Bar Slough (Swan Lake), Custer County (Arnold Lake), and Macrobdella decora Keith County (Martin