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What the sources say

European Medicinal LeechHirudo medicinalis

Every figure, record and mechanism on the European Medicinal Leech profile was written from a source, and this is the working table behind it: 42 claims checked word for word against these sources. The left column is what the page says. The right column is the source's own words, copied, not paraphrased; a ... marks a cut and[brackets] an insertion. Open any source and check it yourself.

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Source
01

Utevsky, Zagmajster & Trontelj 2014

Utevsky, Zagmajster & Trontelj (2014). Hirudo medicinalis. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2014: e.T10190A21415816.

The page saysNear Threatened
The source saysIUCN Red List category: Near Threatened (NT).Note: stats.conservationStatus; read through GBIF's copy of the Red List
The page saysThe IUCN Red List rates it Near Threatened
The source saysIUCN Red List category: Near Threatened (NT).Note: faq 4; years dropped: the 2013 assessment year was a hand note, and Crossref's issued date (2013-12-19) does not match the 2014 edition label
The page saysThe IUCN rates it Near Threatened.
The source saysIUCN Red List category: Near Threatened (NT).Note: category read through GBIF's copy of the Red List

Source
02

Buglife

Medicinal Leech. Buglife.

The page saysoverharvested for medicine
The source saysthe IUCN categorising it as globally Near Threatened due primarily to the overharvesting of leeches in the past for medical useNote: tagline
The page saysTypically blood from mammals such as deer, sheep and cattle
The source saysMedicinal Leeches typically feed on blood from mammals such as deer, sheep and cattle which enter the water to drink.Note: stats.diet
The page saysyoung leeches take the young of frogs, toads and newts
The source saysJuvenile leeches will feed upon the young of frogs, toads and newts.Note: stats.diet and body
The page saysBuglife gives its length as up to 20 cm
The source saysUp to 20cm in length
The page sayslargest native leech in the UK
The source saysThe Medicinal Leech ( Hirudo medicinalis ) is the largest, native leech found in the UK.Note: body
The page saysfive pairs of eyes
The source saysThe Medicinal Leech has five pairs of eyes.
The page saysAn adult may not feed again for 12 to 18 months.
The source saysOnce fully fed, an adult leech may not feed again for 12 to 18 months
The page saysit takes at least two years to reach breeding age, and maybe four
The source saysThey take at least two years to reach breeding maturity, but this may take as long as four years.
The page saysusually small pools with muddy bottoms fringed with reeds
The source saysusually in small pools with muddy bottoms and fringed with reeds
The page saysMedicinal leeches were once used heavily in medicine, and many wild populations were collected to supply bloodletting.
The source saysMedicinal Leeches were used extensively in medicine historically and many wild populations were exploited to supply leeches for bloodletting.
The page saysthe species is now rare across Europe and extinct in much of its former range, mainly due to that overharvesting
The source saysit is now rare throughout its range in Europe and extinct in much of its former range, with the IUCN categorising it as globally Near Threatened due primarily to the overharvesting of leeches
The page saysIn the UK, Buglife counts around 20 isolated populations.
The source saysThere are around 20 isolated populations from Kent, Hampshire and Cumbria in England
The page sayshealth care professionals still use a related species, the Mediterranean medicinal leech (Hirudo verbana)
The source saysA related species, the Mediterranean Medicinal Leech ( Hirudo verbana ) is still used by health care professionals.
The page saysAdults typically feed on mammals such as deer, sheep and cattle that come into the water for a drink.
The source saysMedicinal Leeches typically feed on blood from mammals such as deer, sheep and cattle which enter the water to drink.
The page saysUp to 20 cm long, according to Buglife
The source saysUp to 20cm in lengthNote: faq 1
The page saysno native UK leech is bigger
The source saysThe Medicinal Leech ( Hirudo medicinalis ) is the largest, native leech found in the UK.Note: faq 1
The page saysYoung leeches feed on the young of frogs, toads and newts.
The source saysJuvenile leeches will feed upon the young of frogs, toads and newts.

Source
03

New Forest Wildlife Park

European medicinal leech. New Forest Wildlife Park.

The page saysA three-jawed pond blood-drinker
The source saysthey use three powerful jaws lined with around 100 tiny teeth to latch onto a hostNote: tagline, jaws
The page saysone blood meal that can last it 12 to 18 months
The source saysa medicinal leech may not need to feed again for 12–18 monthsNote: tagline, superpower
The page saysPonds, lakes and small pools across much of Europe and into Asia
The source saysHabitat - Ponds, lakes and small pools.Note: stats.habitat
The page saysacross much of Europe and into Asia
The source saysDistribution - Across much of Europe and into Asia.Note: stats.habitat and body range
The page saysthree jaws lined with around 100 tiny teeth
The source saysthey use three powerful jaws lined with around 100 tiny teeth to latch onto a host
The page saysit releases hirudin, a natural anticoagulant, meaning a chemical that stops blood clotting
The source saysreleasing a natural anticoagulant called hirudin that prevents the blood from clotting
The page saysIts body has 34 segments
The source saysThese fascinating animals have 34 body segments and five pairs of eyesNote: ADW says 33 or 34; the zoo's 34 is used
The page saysup to 20 years in captivity
The source saysUp to 20 years in captivity.Note: body and faq 2
The page saysThree Jaws and a Chemical Cocktail
The source saysthey use three powerful jaws lined with around 100 tiny teeth to latch onto a hostNote: heading
The page sayscan go 12 to 18 months between meals
The source saysa medicinal leech may not need to feed again for 12–18 monthsNote: tagline; 'can go' for 'may not need to feed again'

Source
04

Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan

Hirudo medicinalis. Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan.

The page saysthe bite leaves a star-shaped scar with three arms
The source saysleaves a tripartite star-shaped scar on the host
The page saysMoving shadows overhead often mean a mammal is near, and the leech reacts to them, especially when it is hungry.
The source saysEspecially when "hungry" H. medicinalis will respond to moving shadows, which often indiciate a source of mammalian food.Note: ADW 2002; quote has the page's own typo 'indiciate'
The page saysShadow reflex
The source saysThe leech is able to detect the movement of shadows above.Note: blockquote lead-in; ADW's own heading 'Shadow reflex'
The page saysreacts to moving shadows overhead, which often mean a mammal is near
The source saysEspecially when "hungry" H. medicinalis will respond to moving shadows, which often indiciate a source of mammalian food.Note: vibe.reason; same quote as the body sentence "Moving shadows overhead often mean a mammal is near, and the leech reacts to the"

Source
05

Lent et al. 1988

Lent et al. (1988). Ingestive Behaviour and Physiology of the Medicinal Leech. Journal of Experimental Biology.

The page saysA 1988 lab study of leeches named as *Hirudo medicinalis*
The source saysIngestion lasts 25 min in Hirudo medicinalisNote: year from the reference; 'named as' because many lab leeches sold as H. medicinalis are H. verbana
The page says1-g leeches took a meal of 8.4 g
The source says8.4 g for 1-g leeches and 9.7 g for 2-g leeches
The page saysabout 8 times their own body mass
The source saysfrom 8.15 times body mass for 1-g to 4.80 times for 2-g leechesNote: 8.15 rounded to 'about 8'
The page saysin around 25 minutes
The source saysIngestion lasts 25 min in Hirudo medicinalis

Source
06

Harvey et al. 1986

Harvey et al. (1986). Cloning and expression of a cDNA coding for the anticoagulant hirudin from the bloodsucking leech, Hirudo medicinalis. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The page saysAnticoagulant saliva
The source sayshirudin, a potent thrombin inhibitor that is secreted by the salivary glands of the medicinal leech, Hirudo medicinalisNote: stats.superpower; the saliva link is Harvey's, not the zoo's
The page saysA 1986 study calls hirudin a potent thrombin inhibitor made in the leech's salivary glands.
The source sayshirudin, a potent thrombin inhibitor that is secreted by the salivary glands of the medicinal leech, Hirudo medicinalis

Source
07

Mumcuoglu 2014

Mumcuoglu (2014). Recommendations for the Use of Leeches in Reconstructive Plastic Surgery. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine.

The page saysA 2014 review reports that the FDA approved leeches in July 2004 as a medical device for plastic and reconstructive surgery
The source saysIn July 2004, the FDA approved leeches as a medical device in the field of plastic and reconstructive surgery.Note: review published 2014 (Evid Based Complement Alternat Med)
The page saysLeeches still have a place in the clinic.
The source saysthe majority of these units uses leeches postoperativelyNote: UK and Ireland plastic surgery units, per the 2014 review

How the table was made: a writer drafted the profile from these sources and logged each claim with its quote, a reviewer with nothing but this table checked every sentence said no more than its quote, and a script confirmed each quote appears word for word in the source. The method is in the site'sAbout page.