Sea Turtle Leech

Natural Habitat

Coastal marine environments, specifically attached to the soft tissues or shells of marine turtles.

Diet & Feeding

Hematophagous; they feed exclusively on the blood of host marine turtles.

Behavior Patterns

They are permanent ectoparasites that spend their entire life cycle on a single host. They deposit cocoons on the host's shell for reproduction.

Risks & Benefits

They pose a significant health risk to sea turtles as they are primary vectors for Fibropapillomatosis (FP), a disease that causes debilitating tumors. They have no known direct impact on humans but harm marine ecosystems by weakening turtle populations.

Identified on: 4/20/2026