Observations on the leech Placobdella ornata feeding from bony tissues of turtles.
The leech Placobdella ornata was observed feeding from the blood sinuses of the plastron and carapace bones of Chelydra serpentina and Chrysemys picta. Evidence of successful feeding included blood upwelling from the point of attachment and gastric ceca of the leeches freshly filled with blood after removal. There was an apparent preference for the sulci between scales of the shell.
Siddall
Mark E
ME
Division of Invertebrate Zoology, American Museum of Natural History, New York 10024, USA. siddall@amnh.org
Gaffney
Eugene S
ES
D000818:Animals; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000098:blood supply / Q000469:parasitology*; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions; D007865:Leeches / Q000201:enzymology / Q000502:physiology*; D013045:Species Specificity; D014426:Turtles / Q000469:parasitology*