Mr Harding, Note on two new Leeches from Ceylon. 233 



Note on two new Leeches from Ceylon. By W. A. Harding, 

 M.A., Peterhouse, 



[Read 3 May 1909.] 



The leeches here described were collected in Ceylon by Miss 

 Muriel Robertson, who very kindly seat them to me for examina- 

 tion, together with information respecting their habits and the 

 hosts upon which they were found. 



The material placed at my disposal was not in a condition 

 very favourable for the examination of external features. It 

 comprised examples of two species hitherto unrecorded, of which 

 a brief description is given below. 



1. Ozohranchus shipleyi, no v. sp. 



Eleven species, fixed in corrosive sublimate and preserved in 

 alcohol, were examined. The largest specimen was 5 mm. in 

 length ; this species therefore is one of the smallest of known 

 leeches. 



Body depressed, divided into two distinct regions and generally 

 resembling Branchellion in form. Complete somite formed of 

 three rings. Abdominal region of the body provided with eleven 

 pairs of digitate branchiae, the posterior smaller and less branched 

 than the anterior pairs. 



Anterior sucker not distinct from the bod3^ Acetabulum 

 cupuliform, shallow, centrally-attached and very large, its diameter 

 being equal to nearly one-third of the total length of the animal. 



Eyes two (?). 



Habitat :— Fresh-water ; parasitic on the Ceylon terrapin, 

 Nicoria trijuga. 



I have associated with this species the name of Mr A. E. 

 Shipley, to whom T am indebted for much kind help and advice. 



2. (rlossiphonia ceylanica, nov. sp. 



The species is founded upon one specimen preserved in 

 alcohol. This had assumed a brown colour, somewhat lighter 

 upon the ventral surface. Irregular, black, median and marginal 

 patches and traces of four longitudinal brown stripes were seen on 

 the dorsal surface. 



Head distinct from the much depressed and slender body. 

 Six eyes arranged in two sub-parallel rows, the first pair ap- 

 proximate. 



16—2 



