Broad geographic sampling and DNA barcoding do not support the presence of Helobdella stagnalis (Linnaeus, 1758) (Clitellata: Glossiphoniidae) in North America

• Published in: Zootaxa
• Main Authors: IWAMA, RAFAEL EIJI, OCEGUERA-FIGUEROA, ALEJANDRO, DE CARLE, DANIELLE, MANGLICMOT, CLAIRE, ERSÉUS, CHRISTER, MILES, NA’TA’NE MORNING-SONG, SIDDALL, MARK E., KVIST, SEBASTIAN
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Mangolia Press 2019
• Subjects: Annelida; Helobdella stagnalis; neotype; redescription; DNA barcoding; leech; Canada; Leech; Norway; Iceland
• Online Access: https://www.mapress.com/zt/article/view/zootaxa.4671.1.1

The description of Helobdella stagnalis (Linnaeus, 1758) has emphasized the presence of a nuchal, chitinous scute located on the dorsal surface in the first third of the body as the diagnostic character for the species. Historically, identifications of species of Helobdella have relied heavily on th...