4
However, due to over-collecting, mass export and habitat destruction
H. verba
na
may soon become a rare animal: protection under threatened species legisla
tion is urgently necessary to save not only the "original", but also the second
medicinal leech (Fig. 1 A, B). Ecological studies on free-living populations of
both species are required for the scientific management and conservation of
these exploited and endangered amphibious annelids.
References
Campbell, N. A. & J. B. Reece (2002): Biology. Sixth Edition.- 1247 pp. (Benjamin Cummings), San
Francisco
Carena, H. (1820): Monographie du genre Hirudo ou description des espéces de sangesues qui se
trouvent ou qui sont en usage en piémont, avec des observations sur la génération, et sur
d'autres points de l'histoire naturelle de quelques unes de ces espéces. - Memorie della Reale Ac
cademia delle Scienze die Torino 25: 273-316, Turin
Elliott, J. M. & P. A. Tullett (1992): The medicinal leech.- Biologist 39: 153-158, London
Jauker, F. & W. Clauss (2003): Hirudo medicinalis. Blutsauger in der Forschung.-Biologie in unser
er Zeit 33: 29-35, Weinheim
Kutschera, U. (2004): Species concepts: leeches versus bacteria.- Lauterbornia 52: 171-175, Dinkel
scherben
Kutschera, U. & P. Wirtz (2001): The evolution of parental care in freshwater leeches.- Theory in
Biosciences 120: 115-137, Jena
Linnaeus, C (1758): Systema naturae. Regnum animale, Editio decima.- 824 pp., Lipsia
Ludwig, H. W. (2003): Tiere und Pflanzen unserer Gewässer. Merkmale, Biologie, Lebensraum,
Gefährdung.- 287 pp. (BLV-Verlagsgesellschaft) München
Nesemann, H. & E. Neubert (1999): Annelida, Clitellata: Branchiobdellida, Acanthobdellea, Hiru
dinea.- In: Schwoerbel, J. & P. Zwick (eds.): Süßwasserfauna von Mitteleuropa 6/2, 178 pp.
(Spektrum), Heidelberg
Pilcher, H. (2004): Suck on you.- Nature 432: 10-11, London
Sawyer, R. T. (1986): Leech Biology and Behaviour. 3 Vols.- 1065 pp. (Clarendon Press), Oxford.
Trontelj. P., M. Sotler & R. Verovnik (2004): Genetic differentiation between two species of the
medicinal leech, Hirudo medicinalis and the neglected H. verbana, based on random-amplified
polymorphic DNA. - Parasitology Research 94: 118 – 124, Berlin
Trontelj, P. & S. Y. Utevsky (2005): Celebrity with a neglected taxonomy: molecular systematics
of the medicinal leech (genus Hirudo).- Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 34: 616-624,
San Diego
Address of the author
: Prof. Dr. U. Kutschera, Institut für Biologie, Universität Kassel, Heinrich-
Plett-Straße 40, D-34109 Kassel, Germany. E-mail: kut@uni-kassel.de
Manuskripteingang
: 2005-03-18
View
publication stats