Identifying the most suitable species of Iranian medical leeches for commercialization its reproduction and breeding.

This study aimed to identify the most suitable species of Iranian medical leeches for aquaculture through a comparative study of growth, survival and reproduction of Hirudo medicinalis and Hirudo orientalis, which are native to the southern shores of the Caspian Sea and do not have sufficient information about their biology. Medicinalis growth was significantly faster (p<0.05) until the fifth month, then growth increased in favor of Orientalis. Fertility was diagnosed in almost all adults with Medicinalis (96%) and Orientalis (98%). Survival in Orientalis was higher during growth and reproduction. Fertility and cocooning in Orientalis took longer. There were fewer cocoons with smaller sizes and more babies per cocoon in the Orientalis species. Medicinalis likewise had more cocoons with larger sizes and fewer babies per cocoon. Overall, the findings of this study indicate that Orientalis reaches adult size relatively early, continues to reproduce in more unfavorable environmental and breeding conditions, and shows high fertility performance, thus making it a better option for breeding medicinal leeches in leech breeding centers.