Just Accepted

This article has been peer reviewed and accepted for publication. It is in production and has not been edited, so may differ from the final published form.

Taxonomic update and DNA barcoding of Tunisian nasal leeches (Annelida: Hirudiniformes; Praobdellidae): confirming Limnatis nilotica and revealing a second Limnatis species in North Africa

Raja BEN AHMED , Lukash gajda, Dominika Raś, Piotr Świątek

Abstract

Leeches of the genus Limnatis are known ectoparasites of vertebrates, including humans and domestic animals, with some species causing significant health complications. In this study, we describe Limnatis anouarensis sp. nov., a new nasal leech species from Tunisia and compare it with Limnatis nilotica sensu stricto from Tunisia and Morocco. Morphological analyses were conducted using light and scanning electron microscopy, focusing on external and internal structures. Additionally, mitochondrial (COI, 12S rRNA) and nuclear (28S rRNA) gene fragments were sequenced for molecular characterization. The new species is distinguished by its larger size, distinct reproductive system morphology and unique dorsal coloration, characterized by a median orange band and marginal orange stripes, in contrast to the black-striped pattern of L. nilotica (Moore, 1938). Molecular analyses confirmed that mitochondrial markers provide reliable species identification, whereas the analyzed fragment of 28S rRNA gene was fully conserved and unsuitable for differentiation. These findings confirm the presence of at least two distinct Limnatis species in North Africa, emphasizing the need for further taxonomic and ecological studies to clarify their distribution, host specificity and potential medical significance.

IS24074  Accepted 27 March 2025

© CSIRO 2025