Phylogeny of the leech family Erpobdellidae (Hirudinida : Oligochaeta)

Abstract

The phylogenetic relationships of the family Erpobdellidae, a group of non-sanguivorous leeches useful as bioindicators, were investigated with the combined use of morphological characters, mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I, mitochondrial 12S rDNA and nuclear 18S rDNA. Analyses of separate data sets and the combined data provide strong support for the contention that generic distinctions in the family are not reflective of phylogeny. The resulting hypothesis indicates the number of pairs of labial eyes as the sole morphological predictor of phylogenetic relationship. The traditionally used degree of annular subdivision is the least consistent character. In the absence of readily definable morphological synapomorphies for the resulting clades, the genera Dina, Mooreobdella, Nephelopsis and Trocheta are formally synonymised under the genus Erpobdella, the type genus of the family.