That's One Big Leech !
This is something... fascinating and scary I learnt today!
It's about leeches. Not hive leeches, but literal leeches 🫠🙃
I always imagined leeches to be annoying little blood suckers. I have only seen them in Hollywood films after all and don't have much interest about them so my knowledge is limited on the subject.
Well, not all leeches are created equal as today I learnt that there's a leech species out there that grows to be almost half a fucking meter long! Wtf!
Meet Haementeria ghilianii, commonly known as the giant Amazon leech. Cause it's gigantic. And from Amazon. Duh.
The species is endemic to the northern portions of the Amazon river, ranging from Venezuela and the Guianas.
As for size, they grow to be 45 cm (17.7 in) long with a width of up to 10 mm (3.9 in). Wikipedia has some other cool numbers. For example
the male reproductive system is 3 g (0.0066 lb) to 5 g (0.011 lb) while the female reproductive system is 10 g (0.022 lb)
Yeah, dunno why they included that. I have never seen wiki entries on animals mentioning dick size. That author over delivered 🍌 🍌🍌😂😂😂
In case you wonder, yes humans are a compatible host 🙃
Something else notable other than their size is their feeding mechanism. Instead of using sharp jaws like other leeches do, this species uses a long, retractable proboscis to pierce the skin and extract blood.
Here's another cool photo I found:
Damnnnnnnnnnnn, nature you scary 🫣
Unfortunately I couldn't find any more photos, let alone videos, but you can visit Wikipedia if you'd like to learn a bit more.
There's also this archived article with some more info.
Ok, that's it for today. See you with more crazy wonders of nature soon 🫠
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I have to thank the leeches since the whole anticoagulant idea was inspired for their saliva with these properties hehe. They contain hirudin, which is an anticoagulant. .
But this is a nice big leech! there are some leechers here in Hive with this size as well! lol
Hopy crap. That stuff will likely bleed you dry! :) I can attest, having had an encounter with leeches once, that even with their sharp jaws you won't feel a thing... you just look to your legs and the little f"%%$s are already feasting on you!
Yeah, I don't want to even know 😶🌫️
Wise decision! 😁
That looks like a leech/snake/alien hybrid. Creepy!
!BBH
!pimp
One more reason not to swim in the Amazon jungle, if you didn't mind the piranhas, the anacondas, and the caimans. But that damn leech could damn near kill you feeding for a couple of hours! lol
!PIMP
Tourist paradise 😂
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That thing is enormous…. No not your dick…🤣🤣🤣 i know you’ve never heard that before. 😎
That thing could probably suck the blood out you in a day.
!pimp
You can suck me dry any time 👄👨❤️💋👨
I think you meant this for @summertooth….
Holy smokes, I didn't know leeches could get nearly that big.
!BBH
That's what she said!
!bbh !GIFU
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That is disgusting😆
Years ago, in the early fifties, my grandfather excavated a large pond so he'd have water for irrigation when rain was scarce. I only went in once. When I came out there were leeches on my legs. They were much smaller than the one in your picture, but they were still disgusting.
Here's a very old picture of my cousins in that pond. Nobody seemed to care about the leeches.
Pond? That looks like a lake to me. Did you leave in a Disney palace ? 🫣😂
😂
Now thats a very big leach, am curious though, does the blood lost due to leach sucking cause any health issues to the human self?
No idea 🙃
LOLZZ yeah
Oh my this is disgusting, already the small ones are horrible, but this one is even more... And why does the dudes on picture don't insta burn them??? 😂
You can make next article on lamprey, might be even more disgusting
🤣 Getting bitten by something like that, oh man
They are disgusting, and it's especially so when they are large.
!pimp
Leeches are alien creatures, you can't convince me otherwise.
!pimp
The good thing about these is that they don't suck your blood without you realizing it.
Yeah dunno, never had one leech me 😂
I have had leeches on me before but thanksfully nothing that big
!pimp
Ewwwww
!pimp
Dang :O Thats one HUGE leech!!
that sucks! :P 😉😁👊
I thought it was the tail of an armadillo, I didn't expect it to be a leech and even more shocking to me that in Venezuela there are those and I didn't have the slightest idea, although assuming it is also in Guayana, it is in a jungle area almost on the other side of the map from where I am, fortunately.