RUcore Resource Object
RUcore Resource Object
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TitleA new species of Haemopis (Annelida: hirudinea)
NameWirchansky, Beth Anne (author), Shain, Daniel (chair), McIlroy, Patrick (internal member), Saidel, William (internal member), Rutgers University, Camden Graduate School,
Degree Date2009-05
Date Created2009
SubjectBiology,
Haemopis,
Leeches
DescriptionAmong the relatively few terrestrial leeches known worldwide, only two (Haemopis terrestris, Haemopis septagon) are described from North America. Here we report a third terrestrial leech collected from the southern part of New Jersey, USA. Tissue samples were obtained from 14 individuals representing three populations, and morphological characters were scored after dorsal and ventral dissections. Maximum Parsimony and Bayesian Inference analyses resolved phylogenetic relationships within the genus Haemopis using cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (CO1), 12S ribosomal RNA (rRNA), and 28S rRNA gene fragments, establishing the monophyly of North American haemopids and terrestrialism as a synapomorphy for some members of the group. Geographic isolation, morphological distinctions and combined phylogenetic analyses support the designation of a new species of terrestrial leech, Haemopis ottae n. sp. Phylogeographic interpretations of the haemopid clade suggest that terrestrialism was derived from a northern, aquatic ancestor whose descendents were initially confined to Midwestern States and central Canada by the Appalachian Range. More recently, the terrestrial lineage diverged near the southern extent of its range and began a northeasterly migration along coastal states giving rise to H. septagon and H. ottae n. sp., the latter of which appears to define the leading edge of a northward expansion.
NoteM.S.
NoteIncludes bibliographical references (p. 20-26)
Noteby Beth Anne Wirchansky
Genretheses
Persistent URLhttp://hdl.rutgers.edu/1782.2/rucore10005600001.ETD.000051340
Languageeng
CollectionCamden Graduate School Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Organization NameRutgers, The State University of New Jersey
RightsThe author owns the copyright to this work