Table of Contents
Do leeches have sharp teeth?
Many leech species have one or more pairs of eyes visible on the top of their front end. Leech species that suck blood have sharp teeth. Predatory species may have teeth, or may have only crushing jaws.
Are leeches oligochaeta?
Segmented worms of the phylum Annelida are divided into three classes: Polychaeta (marine polychaete worms), Pogonophora (beard worms), and Clitellata (divided into the subclasses Oligochaeta, which includes earthworms and freshwater worms, and Hirudinea, which includes leeches).
Why do leeches have teeth?
The leech’s 59 teeth are used to bite and suck the blood from humans, and the scientists said leeches like this species can suck two-to-five times their body weight in blood, “thanks to expandable pockets in their intestines.”
What is example of Oligochaeta?
EarthwormHaplotaxidsEnchytraei…California blackwormLumbriculi…Lumbriculus
Earthworms/Lower classifications
What is the meaning of Oligochaeta?
Oligochaeta (/ˌɒlɪɡəˈkiːtə, -ɡoʊ-/) is a subclass of animals in the phylum Annelida, which is made up of many types of aquatic and terrestrial worms, including all of the various earthworms.
What does Oligochaeta mean?
Oligochaeta ( [ˌɔlɪɡɔˈkɛta]) is a subclass of animals in the phylum Annelida, which is made up of many types of aquatic and terrestrial worms, including all of the various earthworms. Specifically, the oligochaetae contain the terrestrial megadrile earthworms (some of which are semiaquatic or fully aquatic),…
Are leeches ectoparasitic?
Leeches are segmented worms in the Subclass Hirudinea that are usually ectoparasitic. They belong to the Class Clitellata (along with earthworms, Subclass Oligochaeta) because of the presence of a clitellum, which is a swelling towards the head of the animal, where the gonads are located.
Is there any introductory material on oligochaetes and leeches?
This content may be useful as an example of introductory material for interpretation of Oligochaetes and some leeches, and its science base, as well as for specific information about these groups in NWT.
What is the role of Oligochaeta in the Diet of fishes?
Oligochaetes are certainly an important food object for benthophagous fishes, but they are difficult to count or weigh in the contents of fish intestine because they are digested very rapidly, leaving only chaetae. For this reason, the role of Oligochaeta in the diet of fishes is often underestimated.