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Native blood-sucking leech

2 images of the NZ blood-sucking leech Richardsonianus mauianus.

Richardsonianus mauianus is one of the few blood-sucking leeches in New Zealand. Like other leeches, they are visibly segmented, very flexible and there is a suction disc at the tail end. They are occasionally found in lakes and slow-flowing weedy streams. They are common in the Oruarangi Creek in Mangere.

The right-hand picture is a close up of the head.

Rights: Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research, Creative Commons 4.0 licence
Published: 24 October 2016,Updated: 24 October 2016Size: 385.01 KB