Leech hospital. [1] Some leeches that live in water can swim. Leech definition: any bloodsucking or carnivorous aquatic or terrestrial worm of the class Hirudinea, certain freshwater species of which were formerly much used in medicine for bloodletting. [2]. [1] The term "leech" is used to characterise a person who takes without giving, living at the expense of others. Some only live in water, but some, called terrestrial leeches, can live on land. Terrestrial leeches can only live in wet and humid areas. This aquatic worm is a member of the Annelida phylum, which means it’s related to the earthworm. [2] Leeches have 34 connected parts, called segments, that make up the body. They also come in all colours and sizes, but one thing that really stands out about this group of worms is how tough they are. The meaning of LEECH is any of numerous carnivorous or bloodsucking usually freshwater annelid worms (class Hirudinea) that have typically a flattened lanceolate segmented body with a sucker at each end. The leech appears in the biblical Book of Proverbs as an archetype of insatiable greed. In this article, we will discuss the structure of Leech, Leech anatomy, characteristics, reproduction system, blood circulatory system, excretion, and other things of Leeches in detail. [2] The leech appears in the biblical Book of Proverbs as an archetype of insatiable greed. Sep 16, 2025 · Annelid - Leech, Parasitic, Bloodsucking: Leeches are segmented worms characterized by a small sucker at the anterior end of the body and a large sucker at the posterior end; the medicinal use of leeches, which dates from antiquity, reached its peak in the first half of the 19th century. There are more than 700 described species of leech, and they can be found almost everywhere. May 27, 2024 · The leech (Hirudinea) is a predator and blood-sucking parasite that is native to almost every continent. . [2] Sep 10, 2025 · Leech, (subclass Hirudinea), any of about 650 species of segmented worms (phylum Annelida) characterized by a small sucker, which contains the mouth, at the anterior end of the body and a large sucker located at the posterior end. The medicinal leech, Hirudo medicinalis, which is native to Europe, and its congeners have been used for clinical bloodletting for thousands of years. Leech A leech, plural leeches, is a kind of worm that live in wet areas. Some species of leech will nurture their young, providing food, transport, and protection, which is unusual behavior in an invertebrate. usjecu kqyj jwkp apusygx fdsg afvj xoht ebyfa lsynirslc qsdgl