Biology:Haemadipsa picta

Short description: Terrestrial leech from Asia known as the tiger leech

Haemadipsa picta
Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park, Sumatra, Indonesia
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Annelida
Class:	Clitellata
Subclass:	Hirudinea
Order:	Arhynchobdellida
Family:	Haemadipsidae
Genus:	Haemadipsa
Species:	H. picta
Binomial name
Haemadipsa picta Moore, 1929

Haemadipsa picta (common names: tiger leech, or less commonly, stinging land leech) is a large (up to 33 mm long) terrestrial leech found in Borneo, Indochina, and Taiwan. It was described by John Percy Moore based on specimens collected from Sarawak, Borneo. It preys primarily on medium- to large-sized mammals, including humans.

Ecology and behavior

Haemadipsa picta occur on bushes and grasses about 1 metre or higher above the ground in moist forests. They are fast and actively moving, and even known to fall onto hikers from higher bushes or leaves. They attach themselves to the hands, arms, shoulders, and even neck of passers-by. The bites of this species are comparatively painful and difficult to heal, hence the common name "stinging land leech."

Description

Haemadipsa picta measure 13–33 mm (0.51–1.30 in) in length. The anterior sucker diameter is 1.3–2.5 mm (0.051–0.098 in) and the posterior one 2.5–3.7 mm (0.098–0.146 in). It is easily recognized by its longitudinally striped reddish brown dorsum: there is a broad, bluish-gray, yellow-greenish, or multicolored median-paramedian field that contains three to five black or dark brown broken stripes inside. There is also a white or pale yellowish longitudinal marginal stripe with dark-spotted borders. The venter is uniformly yellowish brown.

External links

Wikidata ☰ Q15050646 entry