Studies on the freshwater and terrestrial leeches (Hirudinea) of New Zealand

Abstract

A systematic account of the freshwater and terrestrial members of the class Hirudinea from New Zealand and the coastal islands is given, together with diagnoses and keys to the orders, families, genera and species. The account is baaed on a study of 173 specimens, which are classified into seven genera and ten species, including one new species of the genus Glossiphonia Johnson, and one new erpobdellid leech of the genus Dina (Blanchard). The species Placobdella maorica Benham, Ornithobdella edentula Benham and Hirudobdella antipodum (Benham) are described for the first time since the original records. Glossiphonia heteroclita (L.), Glossiphonia tasmaniensis Ingram and Barbronia weberi weberi (Blanchard) are recorded in New Zealand for the first time. The classification used is that proposed by Caballero (1956) with some modifications. A short account of the anatomy of the Class Hirudinea, based on material from New Zealand, is given, and the biology of the New Zealand species of freshwater and terrestrial leeches is briefly considered. The composition, means of dispersal, distribution within New Zealand and the external relationships of the freshwater and terrestrial leech fauna as a whole are discussed. The fauna includes six restricted species; at the generic level, the relationship with Australia is considerable and there are also cosmopolitan and Indo-Malayan elements.