Life Cycle and Feeding Habits of Dina punctata Johansson, 1927 (Erpobdellidae, Hirudinea) in a Small Carpathian Stream
✍ Scribed by Pavel Beracko; Vladimír Košel
- Book ID
- 102284580
- Publisher
- John Wiley and Sons
- Year
- 2011
- Tongue
- English
- Weight
- 349 KB
- Volume
- 96
- Category
- Article
- ISSN
- 1434-2944
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✦ Synopsis
The leech Dina punctata JOHANSON, 1927 inhabits various types of running waters. This species appeared in Slovakia probably after the first Rhine-Main-Danube canal was built. Because little is known about its ecology, the aim of our study was to analyze the life cycle, individual growth rate, reproduction parameters and food composition of D. punctata in the Vydrica Stream. Samples of leeches were taken mainly each month from April 2003 to November 2004. The leech D. punctata had maximal 2-year life cycle there. Mature leeches, which were recognized by the presence of clitella, were present from April to the end of August. The most individuals mature at the age of 1 year. The breeding season of D. punctata peaks in June. The number of eggs per one cocoon is from 3 to 12. The mean successfulness of development of egg to embryo is 58%. Larvae from the family Chironomidae (28%), Gammarus fossarum (20%) and oligochaetes from the subfamily Naidinae (17%) are the dominant components of the feeding niche.