LEECHES

LEECHES (Hirudinea), a class of annelids. There are 3 orders knows with about 400 species, spread in seas and freshwaters all over the globe. In the RB there are 14 species of hemipterus and gnathobdellid L. orders. They have a flat, rarely cylindrical body, with length range of 0.2–15.0 cm, with two surculi (one anterior and larger posterior). The body has a head process and 33 segments. In the RB they inhabit lakes, ponds and rivers. The bloodsucking leeches (temporary ectoparasites) feed on blood. Carnivore species eat oligochets, larvae insects, molluscs, and crustaceans. Listed in The Red List of the RB medicinal L. is used in hirudotherapy, can be found in the forest lakes of Baltachevsky and Yanaulsky raions of the RB.