Medicinal+Leech

**Phyla**: Annelida

**Class**: Clitellata

**Scientific Name**: Hirudo medicinalis

**Location**: Mexico, America's.

**Size**: Length: 20 cm.

**Habitat**: Warm, wet climates.

**Living Requirements**: Muddy freshwater pools and ditches with plentiful weed growth.

**Life Cycle**: Start off as an egg then grow to be adult live until their purpose or use is no longer needed.

**Male and Female differences**: Medicinal leeches are hermaphrodites which reproduce by sexual mating, laying eggs in clutches of up to 50 near (but not under) water, and in shaded, humid places.

**Interesting Facts**: Leech saliva helps re-establish blood flow to re-attached body parts, provides a numbing anesthetic, and lessens the risk of infection due to an antibiotic.

**Human Impact**: Medicinal leeches are used as tools in tissue grafts and reattachment surgery

Zookeeper: Sarah Reimer Content recieved from: [] [] [] Images recieved from: [] [] []