Leech

Leeches
A Leech on stones
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Annelida
Class:	Clitellata
Subclass:	Hirudinea Lamarck, 1818
Orders
Arhynchobdellida or Rhynchobdellida There is some dispute as to whether Hirudinea should be a class itself, or a subclass of the Clitellata.

Leeches are annelids, a kind of worm (ground creature) that lives in wet places. All leeches are carnivorous, that is, they eat mainly meat, but some are also haemophagic parasitic; this means they drink the blood of other animals. They are sometimes helpful in medicine. They are often used to reduce blood clots.

References

• Sawyer, Roy T. 1986. Leech Biology and Behaviour. Vol 1-2. Clarendon Press, Oxford