''Hirudo'' is a
genus
Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...
of leeches of the
family
Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...
Hirudinidae
Hirudinidae is a family of leeches
Leeches are segmented parasitic or predatory worms that comprise the subclass Hirudinea within the phylum Annelida. They are closely related to the oligochaetes, which include the earthworm, and lik ...
. It was described by
Carl Linnaeus
Carl Linnaeus (; 23 May 1707 – 10 January 1778), also known after his ennoblement in 1761 as Carl von Linné Blunt (2004), p. 171. (), was a Swedish botanist, zoologist, taxonomist, and physician who formalised binomial nomenclature, the ...
in his landmark 1758
10th edition of ''Systema Naturae''.
The two well-accepted species within the genus are:
*''
Hirudo medicinalis''
Linnaeus, 1758
Events
January–March
* January 1 – Swedish biologist Carl Linnaeus (Carl von Linné) publishes in Stockholm the first volume (''Animalia'') of the 10th edition of Systema Naturae, 10th edition of ''Systema Naturae'', the sta ...
*''
Hirudo nipponia
''Hirudo'' is a genus of leeches of the Family (biology), family Hirudinidae. It was described by Carl Linnaeus in his landmark 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae, 10th edition of ''Systema Naturae''.
The two well-accepted species within the ...
''
Whitman, 1886
Three other species, previously synonymized with ''H. medicinalis'', were described in 2005 and are gaining acceptance:
Hirudo verbana
''Hirudo verbana'' is a species of leech.
''Hirudo verbana'' has long been used as a medicinal leech
''Hirudo medicinalis'', the European medicinal leech, is one of several species of leeches used as "medicinal leeches".
Other species of '' ...
''
* ''Hirudo orientalis
''Hirudo orientalis'' is a species of medicinal leech. It has been confused with ''Hirudo medicinalis'', but has recently been recognized as a different species.Utevsky, S. Y., & Trontelj, P. (2005). A new species of the medicinal leech (Oligoch ...
''
* ''Hirudo sulukii
''Hirudo sulukii'' is a species of leech that has been found from Kara Lake of Adiyaman, Sülüklü Lake of Gaziantep and Segirkan wetland of Batman in Turkey.
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q26963022
Leeches
Animals described in 2016 ...
''
* ''Hirudo troctina
''Hirudo'' is a genus of leeches of the family Hirudinidae. It was described by Carl Linnaeus in his landmark 1758 10th edition of ''Systema Naturae''.
The two well-accepted species within the genus are:
*''Hirudo medicinalis'' Linnaeus, 1758 ...
''
* ''Hirudo tianjinensis
''Hirudo'' is a genus of leeches of the family Hirudinidae. It was described by Carl Linnaeus in his landmark 1758 10th edition of ''Systema Naturae''.
The two well-accepted species within the genus are:
*''Hirudo medicinalis'' Linnaeus, 1758 ...
''
Description
Species are typically exterior feeders. They have jaws that typically consist of about 60 teeth and do not possess papillae.
Distribution
''Hirudo medicinalis'': Britain and southern Norway to the southern Urals, probably as far as the Altai Mountains (the deciduous arboreal zone)
''Hirudo verbana'': Switzerland and Italy to Turkey and Uzbekistan (the Mediterranean and sub-boreal steppe zone)
''Hirudo orientalis'': Transcaucasian countries, Iran, and Central Asia (mountainous areas in the sub-boreal eremial zone)
''Hirudo sulukii'': Kara Lake of Adiyaman, Sülüklü Lake of Gaziantep and Segirkan wetland of Batman in Turkey
''Hirudo troctina'': North-western Africa and Spain (Mediterranean zone)
''Hirudo nipponia'': East Asia, including Far East district in Russian, Japan, Korea, China, Mongolia, Ryukyu Islands and Taiwan
''Hirudo tianjinensis'': China
''Hirudo verbana'' is further divided into nonoverlapping eastern and western