DOI: 10.5176/978-981-08-8119-1_BioTech2011_18
Authors: Zulhisyam A.K, A.Anwar Ismail and Ibrahim Che Omar
Abstract:
Leeches (Phylum: Annelida, Class: Hirudinea) are widely distributed all over the world in various habitats, such as freshwater, seas, desert, and oases [1]. In this study, the effect of different culture for leech rearing on the reproductive efficiency and mortality rate of local leech was examined. In culture 1, the leeches were reared in a tank with a 1cm depth of non-chlorinated water. The soil obtained from a rice field
was loaded into a hollow container and placed in the center of the tanks. In culture 2, the leeches were cultured in a tank with a 15cm depth of non-chlorinated water and without soil. After 3 months of culturing, the number of cocoons produced was significantly different between the two conditions (p=0.01). The leeches cultured in the tank with 1cm depth of nonchlorinated water with soil height of about 5cm, cocoon deposition number was optimal depositing an average of 3.67±0.58 compared with culture 2 where there was no cocoons produced by broodstock. Mortalities of broodstock leeches differed significantly under the two culturing methods (p=0.04). The culture 1 gave the lowest mortality rate with mean and standard deviation of 2.67±2.31{6e6090cdd558c53a8bc18225ef4499fead9160abd3419ad4f137e902b483c465} compared with the second culture which gave the highest mortality rate of 40±10.58{6e6090cdd558c53a8bc18225ef4499fead9160abd3419ad4f137e902b483c465}. The study also discussed about the reproduction, growth and development of this local leech.
Keywords: Hirudinea sp., survivorship, reproduction, leech behavior, leech culturing method
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