Pictures and text:  Rudolf  Svensen

A leeche ( Hirudinoidea ) sucks body fluid from the eye of a brill ( Scophthalmus rhombus ). The leeche lives from sucking blood or body fluid from other larger animals. The leeche on this picture is presumably a Pontobdella muricata, which often appears on skates and rays. I also often find them on flounders, especially on plaices ( Pleuronectes platessa ). I spotted the unlucky brill on 20 metres of water on the bay in front of my house a late January evening 2002 . The brill trusted its camouflage and did not move although I was messing around taking pictures. After a few minutes I left it in the dark continuing down along the sloping bottom. But, first I removed the leeche. The brill had given me the opportunity to make some good images, so I help it get rid of the parasite on its eye.