WoRMS taxon details
Hirudo medicinalis Linnaeus, 1758
724639 (urn:lsid:marinespecies.org:taxname:724639)
accepted
Species
Sanguisuga medicinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · unaccepted (new combination in superfluous...)
new combination in superfluous replacement genus for Hirudo
Linnaeus, C. (1758). Systema Naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. [The system of nature through the three kingdoms of nature, according to classes, orders, genera, species, with characters, differences, synonyms, places.]. <em>Impensis Direct. Laurentii Salvii. Holmiae [Stockholm].</em> 1(10) [iii], 824 p., available online at https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/726886 [details] Available for editors 
[request]
[request]
Distribution uncommon to rare in temperate Europe from Britain to Altai Mountains in south-western Siberia (Sawyer, p. 716)
Distribution uncommon to rare in temperate Europe from Britain to Altai Mountains in south-western Siberia (Sawyer, p. 716) [details]
WoRMS (2025). Hirudo medicinalis Linnaeus, 1758. Accessed at: https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=724639 on 2025-10-09
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Nomenclature
original description
Linnaeus, C. (1758). Systema Naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. [The system of nature through the three kingdoms of nature, according to classes, orders, genera, species, with characters, differences, synonyms, places.]. <em>Impensis Direct. Laurentii Salvii. Holmiae [Stockholm].</em> 1(10) [iii], 824 p., available online at https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/726886 [details] Available for editors [request]
[request]Taxonomy
taxonomy source
Harding, W. A. (1910). A Revision of the British Leeches. <em>Parasitology.</em> 3(2): 130-201., available online at https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/55827692
page(s): 172, figure 13; note: extensive synonymy, figure, and observations on usage and local extinction for the British Isles [details]
page(s): 172, figure 13; note: extensive synonymy, figure, and observations on usage and local extinction for the British Isles [details]
Other
additional source
Ébrard, Elie. (1853). Nouvelle monographie des sangsues médicinales: Description, classification, nutrition, reproduction, croissance, qualités des diverses races, multiplication dans les bassins, les barrails, les marais et les étangs; du commerce des sangsues et de ses fraudes, législation; du dégorgement, des maladies et de la conservation, etc . <em>[book].</em> 1-494, 12 plates, 76 colour figures of 104, J. B. Bailliére et fils, London., available online at https://books.google.com/books?id=GmE9AAAAYAAJ [details]
additional source Sawyer, R.T. (1986). Leech biology and behaviour. Vol. II. Feeding biology, ecology, and systematics. Clarendon Press. 375 p.
page(s): 716 [details]
additional source Sawyer, R.T. (1986). Leech biology and behaviour. Vol. II. Feeding biology, ecology, and systematics. Clarendon Press. 375 p.
page(s): 716 [details]
Present Present in aphia/obis/gbif/idigbio Inaccurate Introduced: alien Containing type locality
From editor or global species database
Distribution uncommon to rare in temperate Europe from Britain to Altai Mountains in south-western Siberia (Sawyer, p. 716) [details]Ecology Harding (1910: 174) reported that "There seems to be no doubt that this species is now extinct in the British Islands." He reports sources stating ""leech-gathering" appears to have been a not uncommon and somewhat remunerative calling in the earlier part of the last century" and that In Ireland "in 1849, the medicinal leech (for which the Irish name was dallog) was still found in pools in the neighbourhood of Lough Mask and that "in summer the leech-gatherers sat with their legs in the water on which the creatures fasten and are thus obtained." [details]
