Erpobdella obscura

Erpobdella obscura
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Annelida
Class:	Hirudinea
Order:	Arhynchobdellida
Family:	Erpobdellidae
Genus:	Erpobdella
Species:	E. obscura
Binomial name
	Erpobdella obscura; (Verrill, 1872) [1]
Synonyms[2]
	Nephelopsis obscura Verrill, 1872;

Erpobdella obscura is a freshwater ribbon leech common in North America. It is a relatively large leech and is commonly used as bait by anglers for walleye and other sport fish. In Minnesota, live bait dealers annually harvest over 45,000 kg of bait-leeches, raising concerns of over-harvest.^[3]

Erpobdella obscura have semelparous life history, i.e., they die after reproduction. Generation length is from 12 to 24 months, with spring and summer generations occurring in some ponds.^[4]^[5] It is not a blood-sucking leech but is a predator on other invertebrates.

References

↑ "Nephelopsis obscura Verrill, 1872". Integrated Taxonomic Information System.
↑ Mark E. Siddall (2002). "Phylogeny of the leech family Erpobdellidae (Hirudinida : Oligochaeta)" (PDF). Invertebrate Systematics. 16: 1&ndash, 6.
↑ Peterson, Dirk L.; Floyd A. Hennagir (1980). Minnesota Live Bait Industry Assessment Report. Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. p. 89. Retrieved 7 May 2012.
↑ Davies, R. W.; Everett, R. P. (1977). "The life history, growth, and age structure of Nephelopsis obscura Verrill, 1872 (Hirudinoidea) in Alberta". Canadian Journal of Zoology. 55 (3): 620–627. doi:10.1139/z77-079.
↑ Peterson, Dirk L. (1983). "Life cycle and reproduction of Nephelopsis obscura Verrill (Hirudinea: Erpobdellidae) in permanent ponds of northwestern Minnesota". Freshwater Invertebrate Biology. 2 (4): 165–172. doi:10.2307/1467147. JSTOR 1467147.

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[1] "Nephelopsis obscura Verrill, 1872". Integrated Taxonomic Information System.

[siddall-2] Mark E. Siddall (2002). "Phylogeny of the leech family Erpobdellidae (Hirudinida : Oligochaeta)" (PDF). Invertebrate Systematics. 16: 1&ndash, 6.

[3] Peterson, Dirk L.; Floyd A. Hennagir (1980). Minnesota Live Bait Industry Assessment Report. Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. p. 89. Retrieved 7 May 2012.

[4] Davies, R. W.; Everett, R. P. (1977). "The life history, growth, and age structure of Nephelopsis obscura Verrill, 1872 (Hirudinoidea) in Alberta". Canadian Journal of Zoology. 55 (3): 620–627. doi:10.1139/z77-079.

[5] Peterson, Dirk L. (1983). "Life cycle and reproduction of Nephelopsis obscura Verrill (Hirudinea: Erpobdellidae) in permanent ponds of northwestern Minnesota". Freshwater Invertebrate Biology. 2 (4): 165–172. doi:10.2307/1467147. JSTOR 1467147.