Hemolymph analyses in medicinal leeches, Hirudo verbana and H. sulukii (Hirudinida: Hirudinidae)

Authors

Ege University, Science Faculty, Biology Department, Zoology Section 35100 Bornova, İzmir, Turkey

10.22092/ijfs.2025.133434

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the hemocyte type of medicinal leeches, Hirudo sulukii and H. verbana. It was also determined the fractions of hemolymph proteins in these leech species. According to the analyses, four types of hemocyte (prohemocyte, plasmatocyte, granulocyte, and eleocyte) were detected in two species. The prohemocytes have large nuclei, and their cytoplasm occupies a small area. The plasmotocytes are the most abundant hemocyte type. They are polymorphic cells and are found together as aggregations. The granulocytes are generally rounded in shape and typically have large granules in their cytoplasm. The eleocytes are the least found cells in hemolymph and have few granules in their cytoplasm. The areas of hemocyte types did not differ between the two species. Using polyacrilamid disc gel electrophoresis, it was determined that the hemolymph proteins of H. verbana were separated into 11 fractions or fraction groups. On the other hand, they were separated into 10 fractions or fraction groups in H. sulukii. In addition to qualitative differences, there were important quantitative differences between electropherograms of the two leech species. Therefore, these findings made a contribution to studies considering Hirudo sulukii as a new species different from Hirudo verbana.

Keywords

Iranian Journal of Fisheries Sciences
Volume 24, Issue 3
May 2025
Pages 555-564

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