Hirudo orientalis Utevsky & Trontelj, 2005

Darabi-Darestani, Kaveh, Sari, Alireza & Sarafrazi, Alimorad, 2016, Five new records and an annotated checklist of the leeches (Annelida: Hirudinida) of Iran, Zootaxa 4170 (1), pp. 41-70 : 56

Hirudo orientalis Utevsky & Trontelj, 2005

( Fig. 13 and Plate IV 3 A&B)

Material examined. ZUTC-ann 1003, 1004, 1005, 1006, 1007, 1008, 1009, 1010, 1011, 1014, 1018, 1024, 1028, 1034 (Identified as H. medicinalis ).

Solouklee protected wetland, Golestan National Park, (N 37° 24΄ 47.8˝, E 55° 46΄ 26.6˝), 1321m, ZUTC 6005 . Takaghaj, Miandoab , Azerbaijan Gharbi (N 36° 3΄ 50.06˝, E 46° 49΄ 18.98˝), 1277m, ZUTC 6016 . Chaf wetland, Langroud , Guilan, (N 37° 33΄ 28.30˝, E 50° 12΄ 50.1˝), - 3m, ZUTC 6030 . Bashman, Anzali , Guilan, (N 37° 29΄ 59.2˝, E 49° 21΄ 11.1˝), - 15m, ZUTC 6023 . MoshirAbad, after Khan kandi, Miandoab , Azerbaijan Gharbi (N 36° 52΄ 18.4˝, E 46° 14΄ 46.9˝), 1304m, ZUTC 6070 ( Fig. 1 ).

General distribution and habitats. Distributed in Caucasus, Iran, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan ( Utevsky & Trontelj 2005), also reported by Utevsky & Trontelj (2005) from northern Iran, Grosser & Pešić (2006) as Hirudo sp. and Darabi-Darestani & Malek (2011) from northern Iran. Living in eutrophic wetlands among aquatic vegetations, in muddy substrate or attached to the bottom of submerged logs or boats.

Descriptive features and remarks. Large cylindrical leeches (to 100 mm). With a rather broadened anterior sucker. Posterior sucker relatively small never reaching maximum body width. No lateral keel. Ground color olive to dark green. Dorsally, with two pairs of para-marginal and para-median stripes plus two dorso-lateral stripes. Dorsal para-marginal stripes yellowish orange and disconnected by quadrant or circular dark patches every five annuli. Dorsal para-median stripe yellowish orange or yellow randomly bearing small dark patches parallel to those in dorsal para-marginal stripe. Dorso-lateral stripe yellowish white or yellow with random dark patches, dots or spots. Ventrally, dark with less regular light markings ( Darabi-Darestani et al. 2016).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Distribution map of the known leech fauna of Iran. Circles: Localities of present study. Squares: Localities from available literature.

FIGURE 13. Hirudo orientalis Dorsal view (a) and ventral view of clitellar region (b). M: male genital pore and F: female genital pore.