Hemiclepsis myanmariana Bolotov, Klass, Bespalaya, Konopleva, Kondakov & Vikhrev, 2019

Hemiclepsis myanmariana Bolotov, Klass, Bespalaya, Konopleva, Kondakov & Vikhrev, 2019

= Hemiclepsis myanmariana Bolotov et al. (2019): 14 , figs 3J, 4J, 5J [original description; holotype RMBH Hir_0048_1-H; type locality: Salween Basin, Nadi Lake, 20.6858°N, 96.9316°E, Myanmar, from the mantle cavity of Lamellidens savadiensis (Nevill, 1877) View in CoL ( Bivalvia View in CoL : Unionidae View in CoL )].

Figures 1 View Figure 1 C-D, 2, 6, Table 1

Native range: Myanmar and North-East India: Manipur and Assam (first country-level record) ( Figure 6 View Figure 6 ). Probably, this species is endemic to freshwater systems of the Western Indochina Subregion (Chindwin/Irrawaddy to Salween). Conversely , there are 18S rRNA sequences of Hemiclepsis myanmariana from Assam in GenBank (e.g., OP641888 and OP642036 ) but it is uknown from which locality/basin these samples were collected .

Ecological notes: This species is an obligate mussel-associated leech that usually occurs in the mantle cavity of freshwater mussels. Known host mussel species, serving as secondary host/shelter, are as follows: Indonaia andersoniana (Nevill, 1877) ; Lamellidens generosus (Gould, 1847) ; Lam. savadiensis (Nevill, 1877) ; Leoparreysia canefrii Vikhrev, Bolotov & Kondakov, 2017 ; Radiatula cf. chaudhurii (Preston, 1912) ; R. cf. myitkyinae (Prashad, 1930) ; Sinanodonta pacifica (Heude, 1878) ; and Yaukthwa sp. ( Bivalvia: Unionidae ) ( Bolotov et al. 2019; this study). As primary hosts, this leech uses Labeo rohita (Hamilton, 1822) ( Cypriniformes : Cyprinidae ) and, obviously, other fish species ( Bolotov et al. 2019).

Taxonomic comments: It is a rather morphologically conservative species that can be distinguished from other congeners by a combination of the following characters: dorsum yellowish, brownish or whitish, sometimes with unclear longitudinal narrow light brown stripes and rows of light brown dashes; posterior sucker brownish, with large white spots marginally ( Bolotov et al. 2019).