At the boundary of two biogeographical realms: Palearctic and Oriental leeches (Hirudinea, Glossiphoniidae) of the Ferghana Valley, Uzbekistan

Zoosystema 48 (2): 41-54, DOI: 10.5252/zoosystema2025v48a2 ABSTRACT The species diversity of glossiphoniid leeches of the Ferghana Valley was studied.

Both morphological features and molecular data were employed to identify the leeches and to trace their evolutionary history. The mitochondrial gene cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) was used as a molecular marker. The Palearctic leeches Alboglossiphonia hyalina (Müller, 1774) and Helobdella stagnalis (Linnaeus, 1758) are recorded for the Ferghana Valley based on their morphology and molecular characters.