Class Hirudinea (Phylum Annelida)
Examples and Traits
the leaches belong to Class Hirudinea. They are parasites that feed on the blood of other animals. They live in freshwater. The anesthetic they make that allows them to suck the blood of the animal they are parasitizing has some medical uses to it. It is used as an anesthetic that numbs an area and reduces the pain, and as an anticoagulant. The anticoagulant acts as a blood thinner, and can be used on patients recovering from a heart attack.