ON THE MORPHOLOGY AND TAXONOMY OF THE ASIAN LEECHES (HIRUDINEA, ERPOBDELLIDAE, SALIFIDAE)

Erpobdelliformes from the two families Erpobdellidae and Salifidae fro m Japan, China and Nepal are described. Erpobdella testacea is recorde d from China. The Japanese Erpobdella octoculata is an overlooked sepa rate species. This leech is placed into another genus under the name D ina japonica (new combination). Barbronia weberi, B. weberi formosana and B. assiuti differ slightly by their form and geographical isolatio n. Based on new material from the terra typica (Japan, Honshu), Odonto bdella blanchardi is reinvestigated. Consequently, one different speci es has to be separated: O. polaneci sp. n. from Japan (Shikoku). A new leech Sinobdella kinzelbachi, the type-species of Sinobdella gen. n., from China can be distinguished from all other Asian Salifidae by the stylets and asymmetrical stylet pockets.