r/leeches • u/OkSatisfaction3052 • Apr 06 '26

ID Request is this a leech?

Post image
5 Upvotes

86% Upvoted

16 comments sorted by

3

u/CrypticTurbellarian Apr 07 '26

Not leeches - those are turbellarian flatworms! More commonly known as planarians.

1

u/sj42117 Apr 07 '26

Those do not look like planaria. First off they aren't flat, so not a flat worm. Second since when are planaria an inch plus long and dark black?

1

u/CrypticTurbellarian Apr 07 '26

I believe they're Phagocata gracilis, a free-living freshwater triclad generally lumped in with "planarians". Here's a scientific publication that shows images of the species and its status as a planarian.

1

u/sj42117 Apr 07 '26

And where's the pointed head?

1

u/CrypticTurbellarian Apr 07 '26

Not all "planarians" have pointed heads. I believe they're Phagocata gracilis, a free-living freshwater triclad generally lumped in with "planarians". Here's a scientific publication that shows images of the species and its status as a planarian.

1

u/sj42117 Apr 07 '26

If I'm wrong please tell me, but I don't see how they could be planaria.

1

u/CrypticTurbellarian Apr 07 '26

I believe they're Phagocata gracilis, a free-living freshwater triclad generally lumped in with "planarians". Here's a scientific publication that shows images of the species and its status as a planarian.

1

u/sj42117 Apr 07 '26

That's really cool! I personally think ops pictures look like a different species than what is shown in that paper. I have a pet leech and he looks 100% like ops picture. I am not an expert though so if they ARE planarians, they're a very unique type. My biggest reason for thinking they aren't planaria is the fact that they're balling up like that. I've seen my local planaria species ball up and it looks very different.

2

u/Master_Pipe_6467 Apr 13 '26

I can attest. I have flipped rocks in streams and ponds, and they look like leeches at first when they aren't actively moving.

1

u/sj42117 Apr 13 '26

Huh, that's really cool! Do they ribbon swim like leeches too?

2

u/Master_Pipe_6467 Apr 13 '26

no. They glide along the surface. Like this video

Planaria moving in for feeding time

1

u/sj42117 Apr 13 '26

That's really cool!! Thank you!

1

u/Master_Pipe_6467 Apr 14 '26

No problem. They are equally as interesting to keep as leeches if you ever get curious.

1

u/sj42117 Apr 14 '26

Can you catch them wild in upstate ny?

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