Integrative taxonomy reveals a new species of the leech genus Dina R. Blanchard, 1892 (Annelida, Hirudinida: Erpobdellidae) from the ancient Skadar Lake basin in Montenegro

Abstract

AbstractLeeches of the genus Dina are one of the most abundant leech species in running waters in Montenegro. This paper described a new yellowish-spotted and medium-sized leech from the Skadar Lake basin in Montenegro. Phylogenetic analysis based on COI data reveals that Dina nesemanni sp. nov. is more closely related to D. latestriata from Prespa Lake than to other yellow-spotted leeches known from montane and alpine areas of Montenegro. Morphologically, the new species can be separated from all other yellow-spotted leeches by the peculiar shape of the ovisacs. The new species is a characteristic and possibly an endangered representative of the fauna of highly threatened Mediterranean ponds and swamps in the central and southern part of Montenegro.http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:973D45A4-D488-4848-89E2-7659D936F06C

Keywords

• Taxonomy
• DNA barcoding
• species delimitation
• leeches
• new species