Miscellanea Zoologica Hungarica 11. 1997 (Budapest, 1997)

Nesemann, H.: Rediscovery of the leech genus Ancyrobdella (Hirudinea, Glossiphoniidae)

Japan. Detailed investigations of the European populations show that there was a confusion of at least two different species Batracobdelloides moogi (Nesemann & Csányi 1995) and Glossiphonia paludosa. A similar situation of the very doubtful records of "Glossiphonia paludosa" in East Asian freshwaters is evident. Based on our own material, the absence of G. paludosa in Japan must be supposed. The investigated specimens are surprisingly similar to the European G. paludosa in their habitus, colour and shape, but they all belong to the genus Ancyrobdella. There is no possibility to distinguish undoubtedly the two genera Glossiphonia and Ancyrobdella based on their external morphology. This fact clearly shows that an intensive study of the distribution of the common palaearctic Hirudinea is needed. References Morishita, E. (1991): The message of organisms. Vol. 3. Biological monitoring, River and Lake Museum, Sankaido publishing house, 171 pp. Moore, J. P. (1924): Notes on some Asiatic leeches (Hirudinea) principally from China, Kashmir, and British India. - Proc. Acad. Sei. Philadelphia 76: 343-388. Nesemann, H. & Csányi, B. (1995): Description of Batracobelloides moogi n. sp., a leech genus and species new to the European fauna with notes on the identity of Hirudo paludosa Carena, 1824 (Hirudinea: Glossiphoniidae). - Lauterbornia 21: 69-78. Oka, A. (1917a): Ancyrobdella biwae n. g. n. sp. ein merkwürdiger Rüsselegel aus Biwa-See. - Annot. Zool. Jap. 7: 165-183. Oka, A. (1917b): Zoological results of a tour in the Far East. Hirudinea. - Mém. Asiat. Soc. Bengal. 6: 157-176. Sawyer, R. T. (1986): Leech Biology and Behaviour. Vol. I-III, Oxford Science Publications, 1065 pp. Soós, A. (1969): Identification key to the leech (Hirudinoidea) genera of the world, with a catalogue of the species. VI. Family: Glossiphoniidae. - Acta zool. Acad. sei. hung. 15: 397-454. Author's address: Hasko Nesemann Department of Hydrobiology, Fisheries and Aquaculture, Institute for Water Provision, Water Ecology & Waste Management, University of Agricultural Sciences, Max-Emanuel-Strassc 17 A1180 Wien, Austria E-mail: nesemann@edv 1 .boku.ac.at