The life cycle of the Siamese shield leech, Placobdelloides siamensis Oka, 1917.

ABSTRACT: Placobdelloides siamensis is a glossiphoniid leech with a short life cycle. In a laboratory setting, ten mature P. siamensis left their host (a turtle) after feeding for approximately three days and initiated copulation. The adults spent 3-4 days gestating before depositing eggs (272.8±62.9 eggs/clutch; range: 186-359 eggs/clutch). The eggs then changed from a creamy white to a creamy brownish color before hatching. Hatching occurred after incubation on the parent's ventral surface for 5-7 days. The transparent brood, with a single pair of red eyes, spent a couple of weeks under the venters of their parents. After this period, they left their parents and grew to maturity in 10-15 days; leeches were considered mature when their color was similar to that of their parents and they performed t

SUBMITTER: Chiangkul K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7773239 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature