Dina punctata punctata Johansson, 1927

Ahmed, Raja Ben, Romdhane, Yasmina & Tekaya, Saïda, 2015, Checklist and Distribution of Marine and freshwater leeches (Annelida, Clitellata, Hirudinea) in Tunisia with identification key, Ecologica Montenegrina 2 (1), pp. 3-19 : 12-15

Dina punctata punctata Johansson, 1927

( Fig. 4D)

Diagnosis: The colour of living specimens varies from reddish brown to greenish. The dorsum has a rough surface due to the presence of numerous small papillae and has yellow spots arranged transversally on annulus a2. The somites are divided into four short and one long annuli. The head has four pairs of eyes arranged semi­circular along the anterior edge of the head. The gonopores are separated by 1.5 to 2 annuli.

Habitat: It was found in small ditches and in temporary streams.

Distribution: Dina lineata was described from Spain and two varieties notata and punctata was distinguished. Therefore it is believed that the geographical distribution of D. punctata requires confirmation. Prior to Johansson (1927) the variety punctata was not known and most recent authors did not discriminate both varieties. Also, the taxonomy of the genus Dina in the western Mediterranean requires revision. Indeed, Minelli (1979) reported that D. lineata recorded from Italy is probably D. punctata . Also Jueg (2008), during his investigations in the Iberian Peninsula, found that D. punctata was very common in this area and D. lineata is totally absent. The latter suggested that D. lineata reported for the Iberian Peninsula by García­Más & Jiménez (1984) and García­Más et al. (1998) is Dina punctata . Recently, Nesemann & Neubert (1994) described a new subspecies from Morocco ( D. punctata maroccana ) and they suggest that some of the specimens described as Dina lineata by Moore (1939) from Morocco can be considered to be conspecific to their new subspecies. We think that in the eastern Mediterranean, D. punctata maroccana may be confused with D. punctata . Until further evidence, the taxonomic status of Dina lineata and the geographic distribution of Dina punctata remain uncertain.

In Tunisia ( Fig. 6A), it was found in almost all governorates ( Ben Ahmed et al. 2013): governorate of Béja: Aïn Oued Ennhas Téboursouk, 36.27.26N, 9.14.54E; Aïn Amdoun, 36.462169N, 09.5682E ; Aïn Touta, Fjeyich , 28 km after Tebourba, 36.88403N, 09.53513E ; governorate of Jendouba: Aïn Zoulèl Bellarijia (N36.56531/ E08.78953); Aïn Serkha, Fernana, 36.62593N, 08.71408E ; governorate of Bizerte Aïn Sidi Saleh , 37.12302N, 10.04002 E ; Aïn Oued Saaden , 37.16745N, 10.10974E ; El Kef governorate: Aïn Bidha (borj elifa­Sers, 17 km before Sers, 36.17575N, 08.87473E; Aïn Oued Errmal (Tejerouine 9km before el Kef, 36.11539N, 08.63863E; Aïn Sidi Rhouma, village Sidi Omar Route borj elifa­Sérs; governorate of Siliana: Aïn Essaniya kissra­Elgariya, 35.46146N, 09.26450E; Aïn Soltane kissra­village, 35.48424N, 09.21588E; Aïn Zakkar, 36.01298N, 09.32182E; Governorate of Kairouan: Aïn Tfifila route oueslatia 44 km before kairouan, 35.51215N, 09.43385E); and by the present paper we add its presence for the first time in the south of the country: Tozeur Governorate: Chbika, 37.1912N, 7.55588E; Tamaghza, 34.2248N, 7.570E.