Leech discovered in China cave does not suck blood and crawls like a worm. See it
For months, researchers returned to a single cave in southern China to collect an unusual kind of leech.
Shibabdella wulingensis is found nowhere else in the world except the groundwater of Shibadong Cave — and it is a species previously unknown to science, according to a study published June 20 in the journal Zoosystematics and Evolution.
Unlike many other leeches, this new aquatic species does not feed on blood, but rather worms and insect larvae, according to researchers.
At about 2 inches long, Shibabdella wulingensis is considered a “medium-sized” leech, according to researchers. Its body is “ flat and cylindrical,” and “creamy or pinkish–white” in color, the study said.
To swim, the leech swings its body in an “S-shaped” wave, creating a contraction that propels its body forward. Researchers said its “flattened shape helps to reduce the resistance during swimming.”
Out of the water, this new species mainly uses methods similar to “inchworm-crawling and worm-crawling,” researchers said. These varied means or getting around show that Shibabdella wulingensis can adapt their movement according to changes in the external environment, the study said.
According to the study, there is water seeping into the caves year-round, which keeps the groundwater levels stable and water temperature between 60 and 62 degrees Fahrenheit.
Researchers hypothesize the new species lives in still water because the layer of sediment at the bottom is rich in animal feces and humus, which makes it ideal for insect larvae — its food source — to grow.
Additionally, it provides an optimal hiding place away from predators, allowing for the successful reproduction of the species.
Shibadong Cave is located in the middle of Gaoming Mountain in China’s Xiangxi Prefecture, about 1,000 miles southwest from Beijing.
The research team included Yan Tang, Zhixiao Liu, Haiyang Xiang, Linbei Li, Shi Li, Yazhen Zou and Takafumi Nakano.
This story was originally published June 23, 2025 at 8:25 AM with the headline "Leech discovered in China cave does not suck blood and crawls like a worm. See it."
