Britannica AI Icon

Quick Summary

Haemopis is a genus of large, aquatic leeches belonging to the family Hirudinidae. These leeches are characterized by having few or no teeth and primarily feed on small aquatic invertebrates. Leeches, in general, are segmented worms with a sucker at the anterior end containing the mouth and a larger sucker at the posterior end. They breathe through their skin and possess a digestive system capable of storing food for extended periods. While some leeches are parasitic and feed on blood, others are predators or consume organic debris.12

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
2 Britannica Sources
  1. Haemopis
  2. leech

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.