They are covered with tubercles and their primary hosts are rays, sharks, skates, and sawfish.

Pontobdella species are found on the coasts of Africa, Eurasia, the Americas, New Zealand, and even Antarctica.

[1] A prominent feature of Pontobdella leeches are the "wart-like" tubercles which cover their bodies all over.

Pontobdella's hosts are generally elasmobranchs – rays, sharks, skates, and sawfish.

[2][3]: 236  They are large leeches; one species, Pontobdella novaezealandiae, can grow as long as 20 centimetres.