?Histriobdellid

[Harry A. ten Hove]

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An entomologist/stygobiont specialist colleague of mine, dr. Botosaneanu,
showed me a strange animal from an anchihaline cave in Mexico, where it
was collected with crustaceans. It is about 2 mm long, not an insect
larva, but clearly annulated with irregularly sized annulae. Without
chaetae, with a swollen head with 4 (or 5??) lobe-like appendages and some
chitin around the mouth; posteriorly with a more or less sucker-like
structure.

It might be a leech, or a Histriobdellid, although it does not fit
Fauchald's diagnosis. Anyone familiar with the group? Or anyone with a
better guess?

Wormly

Harry A. ten Hove
Institute for Systematics and Populationbiology
Zoological Museum, University of Amsterdam
POB 94766, 1090 GT AMSTERDAM

TEL. 3120 5256906
FAX. 3120 5255402

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