title: A New Species of Orobdella (Hirudinida: Arhynchobdellida: Orobdellidae) from Japan Reveals the Function of the Orobdella Gastroporal Duct.
abstract: A quadrannulate species of Orobdella, O. kanaekoikeae sp. nov., from the mountainous region of Shikoku, Japan is described. This new species is small with a body length of mature individuals reaching only ca. 5 cm. Phylogenetic analyses using nuclear 18S, histone H3, mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I, tRNACys, tRNAMet, 12S rRNA, tRNAVal, 16S rRNA, tRNALeu, and NADH dehydrogenase subunit 1 markers showed that O. kanaekoikeae is a sister species of the quadrannulate small O. brachyepididymis. Phylogenetic relationships among populations of this new species were also estimated using mitochondrial DNA markers. Additionally, transmission electron micrographs of a capsule-like structure obtained from a post-copulatory individual revealed that the capsule contained spermatozoa, and was thus defined as the spermatophore. The gastroporal duct of Orobdella leeches is an accessory copulatory organ that receives a spermatophore during copulation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Science Education, Graduate School of Education, Hiroshima University, Higashihiroshima, Hiroshima 739-8524, Japan.
authors.forename: Takafumi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nakano
mesh_terms: D063147:Animal Distribution; D000818:Animals; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics; D007564:Japan; D007865:Leeches / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D004247:DNA
keywords: Erpobdelliformes; gastroporous; macrophagous; molecular phylogeny; spermatophore