Conservation of the Open Bay Islands' leech, Hirudobdella antipodum

The terrestrial leech Hirudobdella antipodum is endemic to the Open Bay Isl ands, south Westland, New Zealand. H. antipodum was thought to be abundant in and around sooty shearwater burrows, but appears to have become severely restricted in abundance and distribution, possibly due to predation by int roduced weka. Extensive searches on Taumaka, the largest of the Open Bay Is lands, between November 1994 and June 1995 failed to find any remnant popul ations other than that discovered in 1987. Aspects of the ecology of terres trial leeches and options for the protection of this species are discussed.