A study on nutrition of medicinal leech (Hirudo verbana Carena, 1820): Cannibalism?

Ceylan, Mustafa; Erbatur, İsmail

doi:10.12714/egejfas.2012.29.4.03

Cited by 3 publications

(3 citation statements)

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“…Haematophagous leeches like H. verbana feed on body fluids of fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals (Ceylan and Erbatur, 2012;Davies and McLoughlin, 1996;Dickinson and Lent, 1984;Kutschera and Roth, 2005;Merilä and Sterner, 2002;Sawyer, 1986). Mammalian blood in particular is an important resource for leeches as it contains hormones and other components the parasites need for reaching sexual maturity (Wilkin and Scofield, 1991).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These leeches feed on body fluids of amphibians, fish, birds, reptiles and mammals (Ceylan and Erbatur, 2012;Dickinson and Lent, 1984;Kutschera and Roth, 2005;Merilä and Sterner, 2002;Sawyer, 1986). During feeding, leeches release bioactive salivary proteins and peptides (Baskova et al, 2004;Baskova and Zavalova, 2001;Hildebrandt and Lemke, 2011), produced in unicellular salivary glands in the anterior segments of the leech body, into the wound (Hildebrandt and Lemke, 2011).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Be ready at any time: postprandial synthesis of salivary proteins in salivary gland cells of the haematophagous leech Hirudo verbana

Lemke

Müller

Hildebrandt

2016

Journal of Experimental Biology

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Sanguivorous leeches are ectoparasites having access to body fluids of potential hosts only infrequently. During feeding, salivary proteins are released from unicellular salivary glands into the wound. These substances, among them anti-coagulants, anti-inflammatory or antimicrobial agents, allow these animals proper feeding and long-term storage of host blood in their crops for several months. Using histological, protein biochemical and molecular techniques, we investigated whether synthesis of salivary proteins and refilling of salivary gland cells occur immediately after feeding or later when stored nutrients in the crop are getting scarce. The results of the histological analyses showed that gland cell area was significantly smaller right after feeding when compared with those in unfed animals. This parameter recovered quickly and reached the control level at 1 week after feeding. 2D gel electrophoresis and analysis of the abundance of individual proteins in extracts of leech tissues revealed that a subset of proteins that had been present in extracts of unfed animals virtually disappeared during feeding, but re-appeared within 1 week of feeding (most probably secretory proteins) while another subset did not change during the experimental period (most probably housekeeping proteins). Semi-quantitative PCR analysis of hirudin cDNA prepared from leech RNA samples revealed that the amount of hirudin transcripts increased immediately after feeding, peaked at 5 days after feeding and declined to control values thereafter. Our results indicate that bloodsucking leeches synthesize salivary proteins and refill their salivary gland cell reservoirs within a week of a blood meal to be prepared for another feeding opportunity.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Be ready at any time: postprandial synthesis of salivary proteins in salivary gland cells of the haematophagous leech Hirudo verbana

Lemke

Müller

Hildebrandt

2016

Journal of Experimental Biology

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“…Because the population size is the most important information required for the conservation studies, scientific studies should be carried out especially on the exploited populations (Shaffer, 1981). The medicinal leech populations and their biological characteristics are largely neglected in scientific studies (Trontelj and Utevsky, 2005;Ceylan and Erbatur, 2012;Ceylan et al, 2019). Therefore, regular monitoring studies of medicinal leech populations and updated conservation policies are needed.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Size and structure of the Mediterranean medicinal leech, Hirudo verbana populations inhabiting wetlands around Lake Eğirdir, Turkey

Ceylan¹,

Çetinkaya²

2021

EgeJFAS

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In the present study size and structure of the Mediterranean medicinal leech (Hirudo verbana Carena, 1820) populations inhabiting wetlands around Lake Eğirdir (Turkey) were investigated. Population size was estimated by removal methods, age classes were estimated for the first time in leeches (Hirudinea) using “Modal Progression Analysis” of body length frequencies using Bhattacharya's method. The population size and biomass of medicinal leeches around Lake Eğirdir were estimated to be 1,562,696 ± 805,613 leeches and 467.26 ± 172.91 kg, respectively. Three age classes were identified; the age group of 0+ was dominant with 78.6%. While 89.9% of the individuals weighed less than 1 g, whereas the broodstock was estimated to represent only 7%. Body weight, body length and condition factor were found to be 0.52 ± 1.19 g, 4.5 ± 2.4 cm and 0.620 ± 0.123, respectively. This study reveals that the population size of H. verbana in the wetlands around Lake Eğirdir is relatively well preserved and there is no significant threat to the sustainability of the exploitation of the medicinal leech populations. It is concluded that the stability of the lake's water budget, the variety and abundance of the host in the undamaged wetlands, the socioeconomic structure of the leech collectors, the sales policies, and the effective activities of conservation and control units might affect conservation status of the medicinal leech populations inhabiting wetlands around Lake Eğirdir.

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Further evidence of the southern Mediterranean medicinal leech Hirudo verbana (Annelida, Hirudinea) feeding on fish, with a review of the use of fish hosts by Hirudo spp.

Vecchioni,

Bellucci,

Novaga

et al. 2025

Limnetica

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Although often considered primarily hematophagous on mammalian blood, the leeches belonging to the genus Hirudo can feed on several other vertebrate hosts. However, to date, little is known about the feeding ecology of medicinal leeches in the wild, and the few available observations mostly deals with the European medicinal leech, Hirudo medicinalis. Since even closely related Hirudo species have different functional morphology and ecological preferences, the observations carried out on one species cannot be automatically generalized to the other medicinal leeches, and targeted surveys must be realised to better understand the feeding habits of these leeches. A wide geographical belt ranging from the Iberian Peninsula to the Caucasus and Central Asia is inhabited by the southern European medicinal leech, Hirudo verbana. Although quantitative data are missing, the species seems characterized by a general decline throughout its distribution range, whose causes are not fully understood. Accordingly, a better understanding of H. verbana dietary composition is crucial to characterise its role in the trophic webs of the ecosystems it inhabits, with important consequences for the correct management of the populations of the species. Here, we report the observation of Hirudo verbana feeding on fish in the wild in southern Italy. This observation constitutes one of the first direct evidences of the species using fish as host organisms, since to date wild H. verbena had been observed mostly feeding on amphibians and mammals. Such information is useful to better characterise the diet of the wild populations of H. verbana, and to understand the trophic resources which could be exploited by the species in different ecosystems. Finally, a review of all the available evidence dealing with the use of fish as hosts organisms by Hirudo spp. is carried out.

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A study on nutrition of medicinal leech (Hirudo verbana Carena, 1820): Cannibalism?

Cited by 3 publications

References 16 publications

Be ready at any time: postprandial synthesis of salivary proteins in salivary gland cells of the haematophagous leech Hirudo verbana

Be ready at any time: postprandial synthesis of salivary proteins in salivary gland cells of the haematophagous leech Hirudo verbana

Size and structure of the Mediterranean medicinal leech, Hirudo verbana populations inhabiting wetlands around Lake Eğirdir, Turkey

Further evidence of the southern Mediterranean medicinal leech Hirudo verbana (Annelida, Hirudinea) feeding on fish, with a review of the use of fish hosts by Hirudo spp.

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