[Study on Reproductive Performance of Hirudio nipponica].

Objective: To investigate the reproductive performance of Hirudo nipponica under artificial cultivation, in order to provide reference for the commercial rearing and breeding industry of this species.

Methods: The mean number of cocoons, cocoon weight, hatching numbers of cocoons, and the effect of parent leeches weight and density on reproductive performance were investigated.

Results: The mean number of cocoons produced by parent leeches was 0.9000 ± 0.5525, the range was from 0 to 2. The hatching number of cocoons were between 3 and 21, and the weight of cocoons were from 0.05 to 0.25 g. Length of newly hatched juvenile was 1.21 ± 0.22 cm, and the range was from 0.82 to 1.55 cm. It was found that the parent leeches weight, density and the cocoons weight were positively correlated to the reproductive performance of Hirudio nipponica.

Conclusion: In artificial cultivation, moderate weight, age and density of parent leeches is necessary to be chose for increasing the reproductive performance of Hirudio nipponica.