New Zealand Invertebrates

11005-10905 Open Bay Island leech (Hirudobdella antipodium) adult, 'nestled' into the webbing on the foot of a little blue penguin after dark. This is the typical feeding position adopted by these rare native leeches, and you can see other scars characteristic of previous feeding sessions. Such scars, usually near the webbing, are indicative of the presence of leeches in seabird colonies on rat-free islands. Photographed April 1996, on Taumaka Island *

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11005-10905 Open Bay Island leech (Hirudobdella antipodium) adult, 'nestled' into the webbing on the foot of a little blue penguin after dark. This is the typical feeding position adopted by these rare native leeches, and you can see other scars characteristic of previous feeding sessions. Such scars, usually near the webbing, are indicative of the presence of leeches in seabird colonies on rat-free islands. Photographed April 1996, on Taumaka Island *

bird leech 10905 native Open Bay Island Hirudobdella antipodium terrestrial endangered invertebrate