tgii. SouTHKRN. — Some New Irish Worms. 



Herpobdella atomaria (Carena). 



1894. R. Blanchard : Hirudinees de I'ltalie, Boll. Musei' 

 Zool. Torino, vol. ix., p. 56. 



This leech has not been previously recorded from Ireland, 

 though it seems to be fairly widely distributed. It has 

 probably been confused with the closely related species, 

 H. odoculata (L.), from which, however, it is easily 

 distinguished by the marked colour-pattern on the back. 

 It reaches a length of 30-35 mm. (i-ii inches), and a width 

 of 4-5 mm. The body is composed of 26 segments, each 

 segment being formed externally of a number of rings. 

 Segments 5-22 are each composed of five rings. The dorsal 

 surface is coloured with a very dark pigment, and each 

 ring bears a conspicuous transverse row of yellow spots. 

 On the front ring in each segment, the row of yellow spots 

 is much more conspicuous than on the other rings, and 

 hence the appearance of a number of yellow bands on the 

 back. The ventral surface is pale. The genital pores on 

 the ventral surface are separated by three rings, thus 

 differing from H. odoculata, where they are separated by 

 four rings. In other respects, such as the number and 

 arrangement of the eyes, girdle, etc., this species resembles 

 H. odoculata} This species has been found in the River 

 Lagan ; River Annalee at Ballyhaise, Co. Cavan ; and at 

 Enniskillen. I have also seen it at Arthog, in North Wales, 

 and Blanchard {torn, cit.) figures a specimen from Exeter, 

 in England, without including England in its area of 

 distribution. On the continent it appears to have a wide 

 distribution. 



National Museum, Dublin. 



^ Vide R. F. Scharff : The Irish Freshwater Leeches. Irish Naturalist, 

 1898, p. 194. 



