Updated distribution of Placobdella ali Hughes & Siddall, 2007 (Hirudinea, Glossiphoniidae) in the United States of America
Placobdella ali Hughes & Siddall, 2007 is a species of North American leech that commonly parasitizes freshwater turtles. Previous distribution records have confirmed its presence across southern New England, New York, and New Jersey, USA. We examined recently collected specimens, museum records, and iNaturalist observations to update the distribution of P. ali . We report the species presence in eight additional states, more than quadrupling its previously published distribution, and document the first report of P. ali utilizing Pseudemys concinna LeConte, 1830 as a host. 
Authors
- Bronwyn W. Williams (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6403-112X)
- William E. Moser (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5265-9347)
- Anna J. Phillips (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4883-0022)
- Ivana Mali (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8673-1442)
- Abigail H. Conklin (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0005-1952-3180)
- Ethan Boggs (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0004-2595-1328)
Institutions
- North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences (US)
- National Museum of Natural History (US)
- North Carolina State University (US)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Check List
- Published
- 2025-11-20
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.15560/21.6.1120
- Primary Topic
- Leech Biology and Applications
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- North Carolina State University
- North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences