Distribution range

Most people get a chill when it comes to leeches, as big worm-like animals, full of blood they have sucked out of their prey. However, not all leeches feed on blood; some are active predators or even scavengers. Most erpobdellid leeches from the order Arynchobdellida are predators, their main prey are freshwater larvae of insects.

In the caves of the Dinaric karst many cave species of erpobdellids that feed on small cave invertebrates can be found. They are usually found in subterranean waters, or crawling on moist cave walls. When they catch prey, they wrap around it and slowly suck it in (like »spaghetti«).

In the deep caves of Velebit mountains a specialized cave leech with special body shape, Croatobranchus mestrovi, was found. At the side of its body are special lateral projections whose function is poorly understood. Recently, we also found a specialized cave leech in Slovenia –in the deepest cave pit in Dolenjska, the Čaganka cave on Poljanska gora mountain. The leech is half pale half grey, having four tentacles near the oral sucker.