Leech movement, composite image

Leech movement. Composite image of the underside of a leech (Glossiphonia complanata). The leech has two suckers, one underneath the head and a ventral sucker at the lower end. The leech at top has its body contracted into an arch shape with both suckers close together. Here, the longitudinal muscles of the body are contracted and the circular muscles are relaxed. The leech at centre has the hind sucker attached (right) and the head sucker released (left). The body is then extended due to the relaxed longitudinal muscles and the contracted circular muscles. The leech at bottom is fully extended with the head sucker (left) attached.

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Keywords: animal, annelid, annelida, biological, biology, blood-feeder, blood-sucker, blood-sucking, circular muscles, composite, contracted, cut out, cut-out, ectoparasite, extended, fauna, glossiphonia complanata, head, hirudindae, hirudinea, invertebrate, leech, leeches, longitudinal muscles, movement, muscle, nature, parasite, parasitic, stage, step-by step, stretched, sucker, tail, wildlife, worm, zoological, zoology