Meeting Abstract

P3.212  Tuesday, Jan. 6  Thermoregulatory and metabolic response to feeding in the medicinal leech Hirudo verbana PETERSEN, A.M; ELLERBY, D.J.; FEILICH, K.*; Wellesley College; Wellesley College; Wellesley College apeterse@wellesley.edu

Leeches are subject to selective pressure for rapid recovery of locomotor capacity following large blood meals in order to avoid predation or host detection. Feeding can result in mass increases of more than 400% following feeding in some individuals, and presents a unique challenge to these animals in terms of maintaining mobility post-feeding. We have found that leeches are able to recover up to 50% of pre-feeding locomotor capacity within 1hr of a meal, even though total digestion may take months. It is not currently clear what, if any, metabolic compensation occurs in order to meet the increased digestive and locomotory energy demands in the hours following feeding. We performed a series of experiments on the medicinal leech, (Hirudo verbana), following a blood meal, in order to test whether energy requirements for digestion and rapid return to locomotor capability are met via 1) increased oxygen consumption, 2) mobilization of intracellular carbon stores, or 3) behavioral thermoregulation. Following feeding, the preferred body of temperature of fed leeches was found to be higher than in unfed leeches. Additionally, post-prandial changes in aerobic and anaerobic metabolism occur that may contribute to recovery from feeding. These data offer insight into possible adaptive mechanisms contributing to the rapid locomotor recovery of leeches following a blood meal.