- Source: Pontobdella californiana
Pontobdella californiana is a species of marine leech found off the southern Pacific coast of North America. They are relatively large, greenish, tubercle-covered leeches who parasitize skates and rays. The species was scientifically described in 2015 based on previously-collected specimens and has since been recorded elsewhere.
Description
= General appearance
=Pontobdella californiana, like all Pontobdella species, is covered with round nodules on its back and on its underside.: 236 While adult leeches are generally green, with black, brown, and white splotches, the leech hatchlings are pale green.: 189 Pontobdella californiana is a relatively large species, growing up to 7 centimetres (2.8 in) long and 6 millimetres (0.24 in) across.: 235
Parasitism
Leeches in the genus Pontobdella are ectoparasites, feeding from their hosts on the outside rather than infesting them from within.: 186 The holotype was found on a big skate; leeches have also been recorded on thornback guitarfish and another skate.: 235–36
Taxonomy
Pontobdella californiana was described in 2015, based on already-collected specimens dating into the early 20th century. The species was first collected in 1904 on an expedition of the research vessel the USS Albatross. A 2015 paper identified the specimens as representing a new species. The specific epithet refers to its type location, California.: 235
= Classification
=Pontobdella californiana is a jawless leech in the family Piscicolidae and the subfamily Pontobdellinae, the latter clade being restricted to only marine and brackish habitats.
= Phylogeny
=A molecular analysis published in 2024 found that Pontobdella californiana is the sister taxon to P. muricata. These two are in turn the sister group to a clade comprising P. leucothela and P. macrothela.: 191–92
Distribution
First described from the coast of California, Pontobdella californiana has since been found in coastal Oaxaca, México.: 235 : 188
Specifically, in California it has been reported as far north as near Monterey Bay, and southwards around Los Angeles; in Oaxaca it was found in several places on the southern coast in the area of the Punta Cometa and La Ventanilla.: 235 : 188