Huge Flatworm

Sneezewort · #1 (**permalink**) 04-06-2010, 08:51 PM

My children and I spotted a huge flatworm in one of our local ponds yesterday. It must have easily been 8 inches long when stretched out and about an inch across, with a brown wavy edge. It was a pinky-brown colour, but darker than a normal earthworm. It was moving around in and out of the silt towards the sunny margin of the pond, but definitely seemed at home underwater. I don't have any photos but I did manage to capture it on a short video clip whilst we were shooting a clip of a smooth newt (filetype is .MOV ).

I have been looking on WAB to see if I could find anything like it but the photos of flatworms I have seen so far are nothing compared to this monster

Does anyone have any ideas on ID please?

Julie

triops · #2 (**permalink**) 04-06-2010, 10:55 PM

Hi Julie,

Your splendid animal is almost certainly The Horse Leech (Haemopis sanguisuga). Not a bloodsucker, but spectacular and a treat to see.
The other unlikely possibility would be the very rare medicinal leech.

Doc

Sneezewort · #3 (**permalink**) 05-06-2010, 05:59 AM

Hi Doc

Thanks for your reply.

We have looked at some photos of the Horse Leech this morning and you are absolutely right, this is what we saw. What an impressive creature it is. Our boys were fascinated by it.

Thanks for your help

Julie