leeches belong to the order annelida and are in the subclass Hirudinea. They can be freshwater, marine and land animals. As the worms carry clitellum and hermaphrodites, but few are hematophagous.Europski medicinal leech Hirudo medicinalis and some related species are used for clinical bloodletting from long ago. There are several species that can not feed on human blood, but feed in some invertebrates. Haemophagic leeches attach to their hosts while being fully fed and then falls to the ground. The body leeches consists of 34 segmenata.Prednji end of the body is surrounded by the oral plug, which consists of about six segmenata.Usmeni connector used for attaching to the host body to feed after the release of anesthetic that prevents the host from feeling leeches. They use a combination of mucus and suction remain attach to the host body and secrete an enzyme known as anticlotting hirudin in the blood of the host.
leeches are hermaphrodites. Reciprocal fertilization happens in them, and sperm transfer takes place during copulation. During the act of reproduction, leeches to play the part of the male sperm sac will develop the base of the tail acts as a leech and female will bite off. They also use their clitellum as earthworms, to keep their eggs and pupae formation. During playback, use the spermatophore, which stores sperm. During the act of copulation a leech will shoot the spermatophore in the region competing clitellar leeches where the sperm will make their way to the female reproductive system organe.Probavni proceeds from the jaws of the ventral body surface to the front kraj.Čeljusti are attached to the pharynx, the esophagus joins the spread of the crop, and then želudac.Želudac then joins intestinum which finally ends in the rear sucker. The food is actually expanding the stomach, which acts as a storage chamber. The leech can store blood for more than five times its actual size of the body and since they produce an anticoagulant blood stays there in the current stanju.Ljekovitih leeches can stay alive for about two years with blood stored in their crops.
predatory leeches carry retractile nose into his mouth. These species are ambush predators that lie in wait for prey, and then use their spear-like proboscis into fashion. Earlier it was believed that they carry the bacteria to perform bowel defect levels in the gut, but research clearly showed that their gut secretes exopeptidases. Not all types of animals to suck blood, but 90% of leeches are known to feed the dead and decaying bodies of amphibians, reptiles and water.
the use of leeches in medicine began about 2,500 godina.Slini leeches contains a protein known as hirudin, which acts as an anticoagulant. It is also produced by recombinant technology in this scenario. Injections of recombinant hirudin given to those individuals who are allergic or are unable to tolerate heparin.