Research Article

Size and structure of the Mediterranean medicinal leech, Hirudo verbana populations inhabiting wetlands around Lake Eğirdir, Turkey

Volume: 38 Number: 4 December 15, 2021
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Size and structure of the Mediterranean medicinal leech, Hirudo verbana populations inhabiting wetlands around Lake Eğirdir, Turkey

Abstract



In the present study size and structure of the Mediterranean medicinal leech (Hirudo verbana Carena, 1820) populations inhabiting wetlands around Lake Eğirdir (Turkey) were investigated. Population size was estimated by removal methods, age classes were estimated for the first time in leeches (Hirudinea) using “Modal Progression Analysis” of body length frequencies using Bhattacharya's method. The population size and biomass of medicinal leeches around Lake Eğirdir were estimated to be 1,562,696 ± 805,613 leeches and 467.26 ± 172.91 kg, respectively. Three age classes were identified; the age group of 0+ was dominant with 78.6%. While 89.9% of the individuals weighed less than 1 g, whereas the broodstock was estimated to represent only 7%. Body weight, body length and condition factor were found to be 0.52 ± 1.19 g, 4.5 ± 2.4 cm and 0.620 ± 0.123, respectively. This study reveals that the population size of H. verbana in the wetlands around Lake Eğirdir is relatively well preserved and there is no significant threat to the sustainability of the exploitation of the medicinal leech populations. It is concluded that the stability of the lake's water budget, the variety and abundance of the host in the undamaged wetlands, the socioeconomic structure of the leech collectors, the sales policies, and the effective activities of conservation and control units might affect conservation status of the medicinal leech populations inhabiting wetlands around Lake Eğirdir. 



Keywords

Supporting Institution

Süleyman Demirel University, Scientific Research Projects Coordination Unit

Project Number

SDU-BAP 3341-D2-12

Thanks

This study was supported by Süleyman Demirel University, Scientific Research Projects Coordination Unit (SDU-BAP 3341-D2-12). The authors are grateful to Eğirdir Fisheries Research Institute for laboratory support. We also thank Dr. Ramazan KÜÇÜKKARA and Ufuk AKÇİMEN for help in the laboratory.

References

  1. Anonymous (1997). Determination of Hirudinea fauna, mainly medicinal leech in Turkey (Project report) (in Turkish). Ankara: Ministry of Environment General Directorate of Environmental Protection.
  2. Ceylan, M. & Erbatur, İ. (2012). A study on nutrition of medicinal leech (Hirudo verbana Carena, 1820): Cannibalism?. Ege Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, 29(4), 167-170. DOI: 10.12714/egejfas.2012.29.4.03
  3. Ceylan, M., Çetinkaya, O., Küçükkara, R. & Akçimen, U. (2015). Reproduction efficiency of the medicinal leech Hirudo verbana Carena, 1820. Turkish Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, 15, 411−418. DOI: 10.4194/1303-2712-v15_2_27
  4. Ceylan, M. (2016). Determination of ecology, population size and catch efficiency of medicinal leech (Hirudo verbana Carena, 1820) populations in wetlands around Lake Eğirdir (PhD thesis) (in Turkish with English abstract). University of Süleyman Demirel, Turkey.
  5. Ceylan, M. & Çetinkaya, O. (2017). Investigation on the collection and economy of medicinal leeches from wetlands around lake Eğirdir, Turkey (in Turkish with English abstract). Türkiye Parazitoloji Dergisi, 41(2), 96-101. DOI: 10.5152/tpd.2017.5150
  6. Ceylan, M., Küçükkara, R. & Akçimen, U. (2019). Effects of broodstock density on reproduction efficiency and survival of southern medicinal leech, Hirudo verbana Carena, 1820. Aquaculture, 498, 279−284. DOI: 10.1016/j.aquaculture.2018.08.016
  7. Ceylan, M., Çetinkaya, O. & Kvist, S. (2021a). Function of the waterfowl nests as reproduction and living areas for leeches (Annelida: Hirudinea). Animal Reproduction Science, 232, 106816. DOI: 10.1016/j.anireprosci.2021.106816
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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Structural Biology , Zoology , Fisheries Management

Journal Section

Research Article

Publication Date

December 15, 2021

Submission Date

March 31, 2021

Acceptance Date

September 8, 2021

Published in Issue

Year 2021 Volume: 38 Number: 4

APA
Ceylan, M., & Çetinkaya, O. (2021). Size and structure of the Mediterranean medicinal leech, Hirudo verbana populations inhabiting wetlands around Lake Eğirdir, Turkey. Ege Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, 38(4), 437-447. https://doi.org/10.12714/egejfas.38.4.05

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