APHOTOMARINE

An educational resource dedicated mainly to the photography
and diversity of marine life that can be found in coastal waters
and intertidal areas of Great Britain and Ireland by David Fenwick.

A-P-H-O-T-O Wildlife Stock Image Library
Oceanobdella microstoma (Johansson, 1896) - A Marine leech (Marine Worms)
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Marine leech
Oceanobdella microstoma
- leech / close-up 1

Marine leech
Oceanobdella microstoma
- leech / close-up 2

Marine leech
Oceanobdella microstoma
- leech / close-up 3

Marine leech
Oceanobdella microstoma
- leech / close-up 4

Marine leech
Oceanobdella microstoma
- leech / close-up 5

Marine leech
Oceanobdella microstoma
- leechs 1

Marine leech
Oceanobdella microstoma
- ring of ocelli / caudal sucker 1

Marine leech
Oceanobdella microstoma
- Taurulus bubalis with leech 1

Marine leech
Oceanobdella microstoma
- side view 1

Marine leech
Oceanobdella microstoma
- three pairs of eyes 1

Image of this species taken on the ventral surface of the head of a Taurulus bubalis; Long-spined sea-scorpion / Long-spined bullhead, a small species of fish that is often found in rockpools on the shores of both Devon and Cornwall. Images were taken at Chimney Rocks, Penzance, Cornwall. 21.03.12 and 25.03.12. SW4754829815.

The following information about this leech has been kindly supplied by Eugene Burreson, who identified the species.

The leech has three pairs of eyes, two on the oral sucker and one on the second annulus of the trachelosome, there is also a ring of ocelli on the caudal sucker. It is lacking in pigmentation except for yellow pigment bodies seen through the skin.

Oceanobdella is very similar to Heptacyclus / Malmiana and the characters that distinguish the two genera are confused.  It is entirely possible that this leech is synonymous with Srivastava's M. bubali and M. yorki as well as Janusion and Sanguinothus.

Oceanobdella microstoma Heptacyclus Malmiana species Marine Leech Images
The main objective of this website is in furthering environmental awareness and education through the medium of photography. To increase awareness and access to the wildlife of the region and help
people find and identify it. Sometimes the difference between species is obvious but many species can only be determined by observing microscopic characteristics that are specific to any one species.