Tyrannobdella

(A) jaw of T. rex (B ) Front suction cup ( C) The large teeth of T. rex (D) teeth of the leech species Limnatis Paluda

Tyrannobdella rex is discovered in Peru in 1997, parasitic leech species, which infects the mucous membranes of mammals. A more detailed study and taxonomic classification of the species was made in 2010.

Features

Tyrannobdella rex, unlike other Egelarten only one jaw with a single row of teeth ( monostichodont ). But he has eight, for leeches relatively large teeth with up to 0.13 millimeters in length, which he or she has a name inspired by the dinosaur Tyrannosaurus rex. These teeth, of which only six are often visible in simple light microscope, because the other two are subcutaneously are about five times as long, such as those of the related genus Limnatis. The closely related leech Pintobdella chiapasensis also has a reduced number of teeth, that only six per jaw, but is equipped with three pines.

Lifestyle and diet

In the juvenile stage with a height of a few millimeters, the leech bites firmly into the mucosa and feeds on the blood of the host. Unlike other leeches Tyrannobdella rex falls after the blood meal, not decrease, but remains liable for several days to weeks at the bite site. After some time, he or she can reach a size of up to 7 cm.

Tyrannobdella rex preferred the mucous membranes of the mouth and nasal cavity of humans. Other leeches, which also colonize on mucous membranes, have also been found in the nasal cavity, but also in the area of the eyes and the urogenital tract of mammals.

Symptoms

If Tyrannobdella rex the nasal cavity affects, it can cause severe headaches. Because of its small size, the leech is initially mostly not noticed. Reportedly spent several weeks in an animal its host until one noticed him and went away.

System

The feature that in this type only one jaw is present, has led to the establishment of a separate class Tyrannobdella from which previously only Tyrannobdella rex is known. This is known genera with only one species as monotypic. The discovery of Tyrannobdella rex and the molecular genetic comparison of its genome with that of other leeches are parasitic on the mucous membranes of mammals, has brought new insights for the systematics. He was placed in the Praobdellidae family, which also includes the genera Praobdella, Pintobdella, Myxobdella, Dinobdella, Limnatis and Limnobdella count. Most of these species are native to Africa and Asia, Tyrannobdella rex is the only representative of the family from South America, his kin, Pintobdella chiapasensis comes from Mexico, where it parasitizes mainly on the nasal mucosa of tapirs. The sister group to the family of Praobdellidae are the two pure South American families Semiscolescidae ( genera Semiscolex and Patagoniobdella ) and Macrobdellidae ( genera Macrobdella, Philobdella and Oxyptychus ).