GROWTH AND REPRODUCTION OF THE GIANT GLOSSIPHONIID LEECHHAEMENTERIA GHILIANII

Abstract

A continuously breeding laboratory colony of the giant leech Haementeria ghilianii has been established from a few specimens collected in French Guyana. The leeches feed on live rabbits or bovine blood, which they draw from an artifical feeding device. Leech growth is saltatory, in that at each of four successive feedings, spaced over about half a year, the weight of each specimen increases 3-to 6-fold. The male reproductive system of this hermaphroditic leech matures first, at a body weight of 3-5 g. The female reproductive system matures after at least one more feeding, at a body weight of at least 8 g. Fecundity (number of eggs per laying) depends on the weight of the leech at the time of oviposition, increasing from 60 for the smallest mature individuals to 500 for the largest. These data on the growth and reproduction of//, ghilianii gathered under laboratory conditions are consistent with its probable life cycle in the native habitat.

Observations on the growth and development of the duck leech, Theromyzon tessulatum (Hirudinea: Glossiphoniidae), as a function of feeding

“…Figure 2 shows that growth is distinctive and has features in common with that of Haementaria ghilianii. Overall it is "saltatory", but after each feeding the initial loss in weight is followed by a gradual increase which exceeds that lost earlier, for all size-classes of T. tessulatum, and the final hungry size-class of Haementaria ghilianii (Sawyer, Lepont et al, 1981).…”

“…Specimens of T. tessulatum showing the "hungry" response (Herter, 1929;Sawyer, 1981) belong to well-defined size-classes (Figs 1 and 2) here termed I, I1 and Ill. "Size-class I" denotes the youngest leeches which have not yet taken a blood meal. appearance, and form a fourth size-class (1V).…”

The evolution of parental care in freshwater leeches

“…Sawyer (1986 b) introduced the subfamily Haementeriinae which comprises all Glossiphoniid species that attach their cocoons directly to the venter of the parent. The type genus Haementeria was selected because the well-investigated giant hematophagous leech species H. ghilianii displays complex parental care patterns, notably the creation of a temporary brood pouch (Sawyer et al 1981). However, feeding of young as in Helobdella species has not been observed (Wilkialis 1984.…”

Composition of Salivary Gland Extracts from the Leech Haementeria ghilianii

“…Live specimens collected in French Guyana have been established as a continuously breeding colony a t the University of California, Berkeley (8). We have used animals from this colony to obtain and quantify soluble material from salivary glands of H. ghilianii, to characterize the electrophoretic composition of the gland extracts, and to demonstrate the presence of fibrinolytic activity in the extracts.…”

“…Specimens of H . ghilianii, collected in a French Guyana swamp, were bred at the University of California, Berkeley (8). The salivary glands of H .…”