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Leech

Hirudinea

1 Species ID Suggestions

Karen54
Karen54 6 years ago
Tiger leech
Haemadipsa picta


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3 Comments

maplemoth662
maplemoth662 6 years ago

A very pretty photo....

Karen54
Karen54 6 years ago

I was bitten by one of these in Sabah, Malaysia. This is a hungry one. If it was fatter and well-fed, you'd see that they're commonly called "tiger leeches" because of their lengthwise darker and lighter stripes. Most people feel a stinging or pinching sensation when tiger leeches bite (unlike most leeches, whose venom contains an anesthetic), so they usually get brushed off quickly. I'm the one in a million who is immune to the venom, so the tiger leech under my arm had a chance to get nice and fat before I discovered it!

RachaelB
RachaelB 12 years ago

Looks like a type of Leech.

Martin S
Spotted by
Martin S

Sabah, Malaysia

Spotted on Jul 24, 2007
Submitted on Mar 24, 2012

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