Medicinal leeches can be used to address important needs in medicine and veterinary medicine, as well as pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. These leeches, however, are among the endangered species. The reproductive processes of the medicinal leeches are not well-known. The aim of the present study was to elucidate effects of maternal age on reproductive performance of medicinal leeches (Hirudo sp.). This study was conducted on Hirudo verbana which were 1, 2 and 3 years of age. The results from the study indicate the youngest maternal leeches have greater reproductive performance. Cocoon production was 4.30 ± 0.72, 3.00 ± 0.71 and 2.80 ± 0.65 cocoons/leech at 1-, 2- and 3-years of age, respectively. Offspring production was greater in younger leeches with there being 11.16 ± 0.63, 10.60 ± 0.96 and 7.14 ± 1.20 offspring produced per cocoon when the cocoon was produced by leeches that were 1, 2, and 3 years of age, respectively. With increasing age of leeches producing the cocoon, the number of cocoons from which there are no offspring produced and the rate of abnormalities of cocoons and morphological abnormalities of offspring increased. The mortality rate of offspring was 10% and 40% in offspring from cocoons produced by 1- and 3-year-old leeches, respectively, being greater when from cocoons produced by 3-year old leeches. Consistent with these findings, younger maternal leeches during their first reproductive phase after hatching from a cocoon have the greatest reproductive performance and should be utilized in leech aquaculture enterprises.

药用水ches可用于满足医学和兽药以及制药和化妆品行业的重要需求。但是，这些水ches属于濒危物种。药用水ches的生殖过程不是众所周知的。本研究的目的是阐明产妇年龄对药用水ches（Hirudo sp。）生殖性能的影响。这项研究是对马鞭草进行的分别是1、2和3岁。研究结果表明，最年轻的母亲水ches具有较高的生殖能力。在1岁，2岁和3岁时，茧的产量分别为4.30±0.72、3.00±0.71和2.80±0.65。较年轻的水spring的后代产量更高，当茧分别由1、2和3岁的水ches产生时，每个茧产生的后代分别为11.16±0.63、10.60±0.96和7.14±1.20。随着产生茧的水年龄的增加，没有产生后代的茧的数量以及茧的异常率和后代的形态异常增加。1岁和3岁水产生的茧的后代死亡率分别为10％和40％，从3岁水产生的茧中吸取时更大。与这些发现一致的是，从茧中孵出后，年轻的母性水first在其第一个生殖阶段具有最大的繁殖性能，应在水ech养殖企业中使用。