Studies on the freshwater and terrestrial leeches of New Zealand. 2. Orders Gnathobdelliformes and Pharyngobdelliformes

Abstract

Abstract The systematics of New Zealand freshwater and terrestrial gnathobdellid and pharyngobdellid leeches (Class Hirudinea) are reviewed, and keys to genera and species are given. The hirudinid species Richardsonianus mauianus (Benham), Hirudobdella antipodum (Benham), and Ornithobdella edentula Benham are redescribed, and a new species Hirudobdella benhami is described. Two erpobdelHd species, Dina maoriana n.sp. and Barbronia weberi (Blanchard) are described and recorded from New Zealand for the first time. The systematic, evolutionary, parasitic and zoogeographic relationships of the New Zealand freshwater and terrestrial leeches are briefly discussed.