Researchers Settle Centuries-Old Debate with Video Proof
In a groundbreaking discovery, researchers have captured the first video evidence of a terrestrial leech species jumping, resolving a long-standing debate in the scientific community. The footage, recorded in Madagascar in 2017 by Mai Fahmy, a postdoctoral researcher at Fordham University, shows leeches of the species Chtonobdella coiling their bodies before launching into the air.
Historic discovery
“This is the first-ever recorded evidence to our knowledge of a terrestrial leech taking a jump,” said Fahmy, the lead author of the study published in the journal Biotropica.
The phenomenon of jumping leeches has been a topic of debate for centuries. In the 14th century, explorer Ibn Battuta mentioned “the flying leech,” and in the 19th century, naturalist Ernst Haeckel claimed leeches could spring to reach their victims. However, skepticism persisted, with an earlier study asserting, “In spite of folk tales to the contrary, land leeches do not jump from vegetation onto their prey.”
Evolutionary advantage
Michael Tessler, an assistant professor at CUNY’s Medgar Evers College and co-author of the study, noted the evolutionary benefits of this behavior. “In terms of evolution, anything that makes a terrestrial leech get blood faster or more stealthily is of great selective advantage,” Tessler explained.
The video evidence has been deemed convincing by other experts. “The evidence that the leeches in the study are jumping is ‘solid enough,'” said Joachim Langeneck, a zoologist at Italy’s National Interuniversity Consortium for Marine Sciences, who was not involved in the study. He added, “This answer opens up to further, more interesting questions, such as why leeches jump and how are they able to.”
Implications for conservation
The discovery has significant implications for understanding leech behavior and its impact on conservation efforts. Fahmy highlighted the importance of this research, stating, “If we can identify how leeches find and attach to hosts, we can better understand the results of their gut content analyses. Leeches are often overlooked and understudied, and, as a natural part of the ecosystem, leeches themselves may be in need of conservation protection.”
The study not only settles a centuries-old debate but also paves the way for future research into the ecological role and conservation needs of leeches.