Arhynchobdellida

Proboscisless leeches
A giant Americobdella species from southern Chile.
Scientific classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Annelida
Clade: Pleistoannelida
Clade: Sedentaria
Class: Clitellata
Subclass: Hirudinea
Infraclass: Euhirudinea
Order: Arhynchobdellida
Blanchard, 1894
Suborders

Erpobdelliformes
Hirudiniformes
and see text

Synonyms

Arhynchobdellae Stuart, 1982
Pharyngobdellae
Pharyngobdellida Johnson, 1913

Arhynchobdellida, the proboscisless leeches, are a monophyletic order of leeches. They are defined by the lack of the protrusible proboscis that defines their sister taxon, the Rhynchobdellida. Arhynchobdellida is a diverse order, compromising both aquatic and terrestrial, besides sanguivorous and predatory, leeches. The order is divided into two suborders, Erpobdelliformes and Hirudiniformes (sometimes also called the Pharyngobdelliformes and Gnathobdelliformes, respectively).