TROCHETA SUBVIRIDIS

Order ARHYNCHOBDELLIDA

Family ERPOBDELLIDAE

Trocheta subviridis Dutrochet, 1817

Identification

Key, plus text and illustrations, is provided by Elliott and Dobson (2015).

Distribution

Widespread and relatively common in England and Wales, but more localised in northern England and central Scotland. Recent records from 348 hectads. Possibly under-recorded.

Habitat and ecology

Feeds on a variety of aquatic invertebrates and occasionally on dead animals. Found in streams, rivers, ditches, drains, and even sewers. Also often found away from the water on land where they forage for earthworms and slugs in damp soils.

Red dots are historical (> 10 years old), black dots current (<= 10 years old).