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6(2) 67-78, 2004 67 (Whitmania laevis) Foraging Preference of the Leech Whitmania laevis on Two Operculated Freshwater Snails I-Te Lai and Jin-Hong Chen 1 Department of Life Science, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan Corresponding author (Whitmania laevis) (Pomacea canaliculata ) (Thiara tuberculata) 7 cm0.5-0.7g 5 mm 2.73.7 mm (optimal foraging theory) Abstract This study investigated feeding preference of the carnivorous leech Whitmania laevis on two operculated freshwater snails, Pomacea canaliculata and Thiara tuberculata, inhabiting in the same aquatic environment. Adult leeches longer than 7 cm with weights between 0.5 and 0.7g significantly preferred to feed on both species of the snails with aperture length less than 5 mm. When the snails with 68 apertures of 2.7 to 3.7 mm long were provided, the leeches preferred to feed on T. tuberculata than P. canaliculata. This is attributable to the fact that the body of the latter prey was better sealed with operculum than that of the former prey. When the upper corner of P. canaliculata operculum was artificially removed, the feeding preference distinctly shifted from T. tuberculata to P. canaliculata , suggesting that the snail operculum affected the feeding preference. The feeding preferenc