Leech T.S
Phylum: Annelida
Class: Oligochaeta
• Coelmic cavity is filled with botryoidal tissues.
• Body wall is composed of thin cuticle, epidermis dermis, thin circular muscle layer, thick longitudinal muscle layer, dorso – ventral oblique and ventral muscles and botryoidal tissues.
• Crop is composed of cuticle, longitudinal and circular muscles and thin internal epithelial lining of prismatic nucleated cells.
• Epithelial lining is thrown into short folds.
• Dorsal, ventral and lateral haemocoelic channels along with their vessels and ventral nerve cord in ventral vessel are present.
• Cavity of the crop and its diverticula is continuous giving 3 chambered appearance, segmental organs or nephridia are also seen.
• Crop or its diverticula are capable of great dialation to store large quantity of blood.