| Americobdella | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Annelida |
| Clade: | Pleistoannelida |
| Clade: | Sedentaria |
| Class: | Clitellata |
| Subclass: | Hirudinea |
| Order: | Arhynchobdellida |
| Suborder: | Erpobdelliformes |
| Family: | Americobdellidae Caballero, 1956 |
| Genus: | Americobdella Caballero, 1956 |
| Species: | A. valdiviana
|
| Binomial name | |
| Americobdella valdiviana (Philippi, 1872)
| |
| Synonyms | |
|
Macrobdella valdiviana Philippi, 1872 | |
Americobdella is a genus of carnivorous leeches from southern Chile, comprising only the species, Americobdella valdiviana.
Taxonomy
[edit]Philippi, who originally classified A. valdiviana as an erpobdellid leech, noted that Americobdella valdiviana was similar to Trocheta (now synonymized with Erpobdella) "in both appearance and habit".[1] It is phylogenically between two major groups of leeches, the Rhynchobdellida and the Arhynchobdellida.[1] Recent work has suggested A. valdiviana is more closely related to the Erpobdelliformes than the Hirudiniformes.[1]
Description
[edit]Americobdella valdiviana is a predator and has only rudimentary jaws. Because of these features, it was originally classified as an erpobdellid leech.[1] A. valdiviana is grey-coloured on the dorsal side with a yellowish ventral side. Whether eyes are present in this species is a matter of debate. While Philippi originally described Americobdella valdiviana as having no eyes, other authors have indicated that eyes are indeed present.[1]
Diet
[edit]Americobdella valdiviana feeds on earthworms.[1]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f Siddall, Mark E.; Elizabeth Borda (2004). "Leech Collections from Chile Including Two New Species of Helobdella" (PDF). American Museum Novitates (457). New York: American Museum of Natural History: 1. doi:10.1206/0003-0082(2004)457<0001:LCFCIT>2.0.CO;2. ISSN 0003-0082. Retrieved 22 March 2010.