Uploaded May 2010 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Update: thanks to a commenter I now think this is more likely Placobdella parasitica, rather than a snail leech - still a member of the same family of leeches, the Glossiphoniidae but feeds on turtles rather than snails, which makes sense as I've found these leeches on freshwater turtles before (still harmless to humans). Thanks to Friedrich vanderWart for the info!
Snail leeches carry their eggs and newly hatched babies on their bellies for several weeks - what looks like a sea anemone on the belly of this leech is actually a cluster of tiny baby leeches. Instead of sucking blood, snail leeches feed on snails and other soft-bodied invertebrates and are harmless to humans.
Since leeches are hermaphrodites (both male and female) and cross-fertilize their partner when they mate, this "mother" snail leech is probably also father to another batch of baby leeches somewhere.
Update: thanks to a commenter I now think this is more likely Placobdella parasitica, rather than a snail leech - still a member of the same family of leeches, the Glossiphoniidae but feeds on turtles rather than snails, which makes sense as I've found these leeches on freshwater turtles before (still harmless to humans). Thanks to Friedrich vanderWart for the info!
Snail leeches carry their eggs and newly hatched babies on their bellies for several weeks - what looks like a sea anemone on the belly of this leech is actually a cluster of tiny baby leeches. Instead of sucking blood, snail leeches feed on snails and other soft-bodied invertebrates and are harmless to humans.
Since leeches are hermaphrodites (both male and female) and cross-fertilize their partner when they mate, this "mother" snail leech is probably also father to another batch of baby leeches somewhere.
