1y ago

First proof of leeches jumping captured on video

www.earth.com

Even as a flying squid, I'm repulsed.

32 comments

Video link for anyone interested.
https://www.usatoday.com/videos/tech/science/2024/06/21/jumping-leeches-video-first-time/74169034007/
Better video with almost no editing
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-06-21/leeches-jumping-video/104007924
Actual paper and video source citation (locked behind many paywalls)
A jumping terrestrial leech from Madagascar
Mai Fahmy, Michael Tessler Biotropica,
DOI: 10.1111/btp.13340
- Thank you.
  
  thank you for the new nightmares.. I'd much rather have a flying squid
Article: there's a video, but we're not going to show it, just trust us!
- The video is, I assume, behind the paywalled journal article. There's really not much they can do about that.
- I scrolled down and saw the video.
Leeches are such cool creatures. I had a run-in with them while canoeing in Manitoba. Just one or two latched on. It’s really incredible how they can move their bodies around in the water yet maintain the exact texture and fluidity of the water itself. You’d never be able to feel one if it brushed up against you.
Also crazy how well whatever numbing chemical they produce works.
If you want to safely observe one up close, you can get them to latch on to your finger nail where they can’t do any damage.
- Now I'm not sayin you're a leech in disguise, but you sound an awful lot like one of those leech-luvvas if you ask me
- They also do have medical applications.
  https://www.uhhospitals.org/blog/articles/2020/03/how-leeches-can-save-lives-and-limbs-for-some-patients
They fly now?
- They fly now.
- How dare you! That is not flying! I know what flying is!
- That's not flying, that's just falling with style.
  
  Ooo, like planetary orbits.
Ahh!! Leeches!
So they are able to jump only when they are hungry and hence light?
- The paper is behind a paywall, but I suspect the article doesn't say because the paper doesn't come to a conclusion, but I would guess either predation or avoiding being prey themselves.
  
  They only jump when you play Kriss Kross.
So that means they have optics...
"Honey where is my flamethrower?"
Very cool and very gross
- Like much of the best biological science!
After 20 years of the National Geographic cameraman waiting for two lions to get it on, he decides it was time for some actual wildlife videographing
- I, too, like to videograph from time to time.

32 comments