A Hirudo verbana medicinal leech feeds on a laboratory rat.

European Medicinal Leech (Hirudo verbana) — A medicinal leech feeds on a laboratory rat.

Creator: Ruslan 999999, [Wikimedia Commons source](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ectoparasite_-_Hirudo_verbana.jpg), CC BY 4.0. Licence: [CC BY 4.0 deed](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.en).

Licence: CC BY 4.0

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Species record

European Medicinal Leech

Hirudo verbana

Explore the European Medicinal Leech (Hirudo verbana) species record in The Ark Is Earth, including classification, habitat, distribution, conservation information, and sources.

Summary

Hirudo verbana is a freshwater leech recorded from southern Europe through Turkey to Central Asia. It is associated with vegetated, still-water wetlands and stable aquatic conditions. Medicinal leeches were historically used for bloodletting, and habitat alteration and collection are conservation concerns.

Classification in this archive

  1. Kingdom: Animals
  2. Phylum: Segmented worms
  3. Class: Earthworms and leeches
  4. Order: Hirudinida
  5. Family: Hirudinidae
  6. Genus: Hirudo

Habitat and distribution

Selected documented locations — not a complete species range.

Habitat
vegetated ponds and marshes, standing freshwater wetlands with stable water conditions
Selected regions
Europe, Asia

Conservation status

Conservation status not recorded.

Did you know?

  • Hirudo verbana lives in freshwater habitats such as vegetated ponds and marshes.
  • Medicinal leeches were historically used in bloodletting, and compounds in their saliva remain of scientific interest.

More images

Dorsal and ventral views of Hirudo verbana against a pale background.

European Medicinal Leech (Hirudo verbana) — Dorsal and ventral views.

Creator: Wikiceylan, [Wikimedia Commons source](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Medicinal_leech%2C_Hirudo_verbana.jpg), CC BY-SA 4.0. Licence: [CC BY-SA 4.0 deed](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.en).

Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0

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Sources and attribution