The first record of the genus Helobdella (Hirudinoidea: Glossiphoniidae) from Australia, with a description of a new species, Helobdella papillornata

The first species of the genus Helobdella in Australia is recorded from Victoria. Helobdella papillornata has all of the diagnostic features of the genus including: triannulate segments, one pair of eyes on somite II, diffuse salivary glands, five crop caeca, one annulus between the gonopores and one annulus between the anus and the caudal sucker. It is characterised by a subterminal mouth, lobed gastric caeca, five to seven darkly pigmented papillae per somite on the dorsal surface, 14 brown dorsal stripes, five pairs of compact testisacs and a resting length of 15 mm and a maximum extended length of 40 mm. Individuals lay between 20 and 50 eggs attached directly to the ventral surface of the parent. At 20 degrees C the eggs hatch after 2 weeks and the young immediately reattach to the parent for a further 2 to 4 weeks, during which time the attached young feed on snails captured by the parent. After leaving the parent, young forage on their own or in small groups of three or more until they reach reproductive maturity. Individuals become reproductively mature, producing eggs and young, 3 to 4 months after hatching.