American Society of Hirudotherapy

Species delimitation recovers undescribed Erpobdellidae (Annelida: Hirudinea) from USA and Turkiye

Research article published in Zootaxa (2025)

Last Updated: June 18, 2026Reviewed by: ASH Editorial Board
Research article — evidence reviewArticle reference
Evidence: Preclinical (animal)Salivary PharmacologyDrug DevelopmentSaglam N et al. · Zootaxa, 2025

Abstract

Erpobdellid leeches are morphologically similar to each other and thus cause confusion in taxonomic identification. In particular, annuli, colour and eye patterns are very close across species which creates difficulties in external morphological resolution. Here we describe six new species of Erpobdellidae collected from North America and Europe based on morphological and molecular criteria. New species are formally designated Erpobdella farmensis sp. nov., Erpobdella haddonensis sp. nov., Erpobdella madenensis sp. nov., Dina sivricensis sp. nov., Dina takasensis sp. nov. and Trocheta kesirvenensis sp. nov. Phylogenetic comparisons were conducted with fragments of nuclear (18S rRNA) and mitochondrial [12S rRNA and cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI)] loci to confirm species separation. A global phylogeny with all available data in GenBank at the COI locus identified 49 recognized erpobdellid species, many of which occur regionally or are distributed globally.

Abstract sourced from PubMed (NCBI) for the cited record. See the original publication for the authoritative version.

Publication typeJournal Article
Indexed MeSH termsAnimalsPhylogenyAnimal DistributionUnited StatesFemaleMaleLeechesAnimal StructuresOrgan SizeBody SizeEuropeRNA, Ribosomal, 18S

Summary

Six new Erpobdellidae species described from North America and Europe based on morphological and molecular criteria; global phylogeny identifies 49 recognized erpobdellid species.

Why This Matters for Hirudotherapy

This article describes six new species of Erpobdellidae (Erpobdella farmensis, E. haddonensis, E. madenensis, Dina sivricensis, D. takasensis, Trocheta kesirvenensis) from North America and Europe, using morphological and molecular (18S, 12S, COI) phylogenetic analyses, and places them within a global COI phylogeny of 49 recognized erpobdellid species. Its relevance to ASH is only indirect, as leech biodiversity and systematics provide background context for the broader Hirudinea clade. The abstract contains no mention of hirudotherapy, the leech secretome, anticoagulants, feeding ecology, or any therapeutic application, making its connection to ASH's core domain taxonomic rather than clinical or biochemical.

Citation

Species delimitation recovers undescribed Erpobdellidae (Annelida: Hirudinea) from USA and Turkiye.

Saglam N et al. · Zootaxa, 2025

DOI

Added to ASH library: May 27, 2026 · Site last updated: June 18, 2026

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