Life Of Leeches

The more primitive Acanthobdellidea are often included with the leeches, but some authors treat them as a separate clitellate group. True leeches of the infraclass Euhirudinea have both anterior and posterior suckers. They are divided into two groups: Arhynchobdellida and Rhynchobdellida
• Rhynchobdellida) are "jawless" leeches, armed with a muscular, straw-like proboscis puncturing organ in a retractable sheath. The Rhynchobdellae consist of two families:
- Glossiphoniidae are flattened leeches with a poorly defined anterior sucker.
- Piscicolida have cylindrical bodies and a usually well-marked, bell-shaped, anterior sucker. The Glossiphoniidae live in fresh-water habitats; the Pisciolidae are found in seawater habitats.