Meyer, Marvin C. (1940). A revision of the leeches (Piscicolidae) living on freshwater fishes of North America. Transactions of the American Microscopical Society. 59: 354-76.

486429

10.2307/3222552 [view]

Meyer, Marvin C.

1940

59: 354-76

Publication

https://www.jstor.org/stable/3222552

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Summary. A morphological and taxonomic study has been made of fresh-water fish leeches of North America. Leeches were taken from more than 500 individual fish. Host data show that specimens were taken from 26 host species belonging to 22 genera and 9 families of fish. The twenty-seven generally recognized genera of the family have been analyzed. Only eight of the genera have been reported from North America and only two of these (Piscicola Blainville, 1818 and Cystobranchus Diesing, 1859) from freshwater fishes. Within the genus Piscicola there have been previously included species with a variable number of paired testes and of annuli to a complete somite. Detailed studies of total mounts and serial sections of individuals showing these variations revealed correlated differences in other anatomical features. Illinobdella alba, I. moorei, I. richardsoni and I. elongata, each possessing five pairs of testes and twelve to fourteen annuli to a complete somite in the region of the testes, have been separated from the genus Piscicola. The new genus Illinobdella is proposed and diagnosed to accommodate these four new species. I. alba is cited as the type species. A new species (P. reducta) with five pairs of testes and three annuli to a complete somite has been assigned to Piscicolaria Whitman, 1887, emended. Cystobranchus verrilli is described as a new species.

America, North

Systematics, Taxonomy

Annelida

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