SYNONYMIZATION OF PLACOBDELLA PICTA (VERRILL, 1872) (HIRUDINEA: GLOSSIPHONIIDAE) WITH DESCRIPTIONS OF TWO NEW SPECIES REVEALED BY MOLECULAR SPECIES DELIMITATION.

Species of Placobdella have been the frequent subject of revisionary and alpha-taxonomy in the past 2 decades. Recent molecular analyses introduced uncertainty about the taxonomic status of several broadly distributed and morphologically variable Placobdella species, including Placobdella picta (Verrill 1872), compounded by incomplete original descriptions reliant upon characters that are no longer unique in comparison to modern congeners. We assessed specimens of P. picta to identify any distinct phylogenetic entities that align with our morphological observations of the type series and novel topotype specimens. Using mitochondrial COI and ND1 and nuclear 18S rDNA with Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian Inference, we evaluated species boundaries using species delimitation analyses (ABGD, mPTP, bPTP, and GMYC) and molecular phylogenetics. Our analyses revealed 2 species entities equivalent to 2 non-reciprocal monophyletic clades. Morphological examinations revealed the lectotype was determined to be Placobdella ornata (Verrill 1872), and paralectotypes are other leech species or were poorly preserved and unidentifiable. Due to the problems with the type series, P. picta is now considered a junior synonym of P. ornata. Based on our results, we describe 2 new species: Placobdella unimaculata n. sp. from Connecticut and Placobdella desseri n. sp. from Algonquin Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada.

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

Species of Placobdella have been the frequent subject of revisionary and alpha-taxonomy in the past 2 decades.

Explore cómo esta investigación se conecta con la práctica clínica

More peer-reviewed studies in Farmacología salival.

• Novel Leech Antimicrobial Peptides — Hirunipins — Kumar et al. (2025)
• 434 Salivary Proteins — Integrated Proteomics of Hirudo medicinalis — Liu et al. (2019)
• Medicinal Leech Genome Assembly — Anticoagulant Gene Catalog — Kvist et al. (2020)
• Effects of hirudotherapy on liver functions, lipid profile, and insulin sensitivity in rats with metabolic syndrome — Bilden A et al. (2026)
• [Research progress in hirudin fusion protein--review] — Zhang C et al. (2007)
• A unique proteolytic fragment of human fibrinogen containing the A alpha COOH-terminal domain of the native molecule — Kirschbaum NE, Budzynski AZ (1990)
• Updates on Use and Monitoring of Direct Thrombin Inhibitors — Navaei A et al. (2026)
• Production and functional characteristics of a novel hirudin variant with better anticoagulant activities than bivalirudin — Ge P et al. (2025)
• Traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of diabetic kidney disease: the mechanisms of signaling pathways regulations — Li W et al. (2026)
• Prostaglandin E1 is an efficient molecular tool for forest leech blood sucking — Zheng F et al. (2021)

Browse all ASH-analysed research →