piscicolid leech

This leech is attached to the fish Trematomus loennbergii [1]. The color of this leech identifies it as a blood sucker.

The most frequently found leeches on five species of Antarctic nototheniid and channichthyid fish were Glyptonotobdella antarctica and Trulliobdella capitis [2]. This doesn't appear to be Glyptonotobdella antarctica, which has an annular distribution of brown blotches with white granules shining through its epidermis on a lateral line of small protuberances [3]. Trulliobdella capitis is smooth surfaced and up to four centimeters long[4].

1: Paul Cziko, personal communication, 2004; 2: Meeresforschung 28(2-3): 146-156, 1980; 3: Polar Biology 13(5):347-354, 1993; 4: Proceedings of the Helminthological Society of Washington 50(1): 138-142, 1983

Text ©Peter Brueggeman. Photograph ©Paul Cziko. Photograph may not be used in any form without the express written permission of Paul Cziko.