Branchellion ravenelii
| Branchellion ravenelii | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Annelida |
| Clade: | Pleistoannelida |
| Clade: | Sedentaria |
| Class: | Clitellata |
| Subclass: | Hirudinea |
| Order: | Rhynchobdellida |
| Family: | Piscicolidae |
| Genus: | Branchellion |
| Species: | B. ravenelii |
| Binomial name | |
| Branchellion ravenelii Girard, 1850 | |
Branchellion ravenelii is a species of marine leech in the genus Branchellion. Originally identified by Girard in 1850, the species is often found on rays and skates. B. ravenelii has been found in warm water in the southeastern United States and Gulf of Mexico.
Description
Branchellion ravenelii appears similar to B. torpedinis, though the number of branchiae pairs differs between the two, with B. ravenelii having 31 pairs,[1] whereas B. torpedinis has 33 pairs.[2]
Habitat
Branchellion ravenelii has been found in warm water in the southeastern United States and Gulf of Mexico.[2] In the wild, hosts commonly reside in the Gulf of Mexico, though B. ravenelii has also been identified in the Atlantic Ocean near Charleston, South Carolina,[3] as well as on both coasts of Florida and in Mississippi.[2]
The species is typically found in water with high salinity (over 30 parts per thousand) and temperature between 19°C and 28°C.[2]
Hosts
Branchellion ravenelii has been found on the following hosts: Aetobatus narinari, Amphotistius sabinus, Dasyatis americana, D. hastata, D. sabina, D. sayi, Gymnura micrura, Narcine bmsiliensis, and Raja eglanteria.[2]
References
- ↑ Meyer, Marvin C. (1941). "The Rediscovery Together with the Morphology of the Leech, Branchellion ravenelii (Girard, 1850)". The Journal of Parasitology. 27 (4): 289–298. doi:10.2307/3272813. ISSN 0022-3395.
- 1 2 3 4 5 Sawyer, Roy T.; Lawler, Adrian R.; Oversrteet, Robin M. (December 1975). "Marine leeches of the eastern United States and the Gulf of Mexico with a key to the species". Journal of Natural History. 9 (6): 633–667. doi:10.1080/00222937500770531. ISSN 0022-2933.
- ↑ Campbell, Joshua W.; Martin, Parker (June 2025). "First record of the marine leech, Branchellion ravenelii, collected from a cownose ray (Rhinoptera bonasus)". Marine Biodiversity. 55 (3). doi:10.1007/s12526-025-01524-1. ISSN 1867-1616.