Hirudinea

(Leeches)

 Photogallery: 

Synonyms:  Dina lateralis
                                          (Harrel 1973)

1973 Harrel

1984 Cusak

[1995 Klemm]
1998 Moorhead Hall Willig

notes:

-one of the most common and widely distributed North American leeches (Sawyer 1972),  found in most waters (Wetzel & Gilbert 1982), also in polluted and organically enriched lakes and streams (Klem 1995)

-all members of the family are scavengers  & predators, not parasites (Sawyer 1972)

-predator (Moorhead, Hall & Willig 1998)mainly on aquatic insects and oligochaetes and a scavenger (Sawyer 1972)

-E. punctata can leave water on damp evenings and forage on land (Wetzel & Gilbert 1982)