Erpobdella testacea

Description

Uniform reddish-brown colour (lacking the black & yellow pigment flecks of E. octoculata). Uniform segmentation. Four clear anterior eyes with a second arc of eyes slightly posterior to the first arc and in two pairs laterally.

Similar Species

Erpobdella octoculata is a similar size and shape, and the same eye pattern, but has black and yellow flecking on the dorsal surface.

Identification difficulty
Habitat

In freshwater attaching to stones and logs.They can be particularly common in small ponds where this a build up of partially decayed vegetation, lowering the oxygen content.

When to see it

Mature specimens in March-May.

Life History

This species is a carnivore, feeding on small worms, crustaceans, insect larvae and other tiny freshwater animals. It has an annual lifecycle where it matures and breeds in early Spring, then dies by the end of May.

UK Status

Widespread and fairly frequent in Britain.

VC55 Status

Probably fairly frequent in Leicestershire and Rutland, though not well recorded.

Leicestershire & Rutland Map

MAP KEY:

Yellow squares = NBN records (all known data)
Coloured circles = NatureSpot records: 2020+ | 2015-2019 | pre-2015

UK Map

Species profile

Species group:
Worms
Kingdom:
Animalia
Order:
Arhynchobdellida
Family:
Erpobdellidae
Records on NatureSpot:
4
First record:
06/04/2015 (Gaten, Ted)
Last record:
10/10/2023 (Nicholls, David)

Total records by month

% of records within its species group

10km squares with records

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