Invertebrate Classification

Invertebrate classification, invertebrates or any animal lacking a backbone. They are by far the most numerous animals. Almost 2 million species have been identified to date. Insects, the most successful animals on earth, over 1 million species have been identified about one half of all known animals. Their body is divided into three parts, and they have 6 legs and a hard outer coating called an exoskeleton. Arachnids, spiders, ticks, and scorpions, arachnids have an exoskeleton and 8 jointed legs. Mainly meat eaters, they often poison their prey. About 60,000 species have been found. Crustaceans, crabs, lobsters, and shrimp. They are among the most successful animals, and are as plentiful in the oceans as insects are on land. They are characterized by having a jointed body and limbs, and a hard outer shell. Mollusks, clams, stoves, and squids, mollusks share a mantle, a fold of skin that lines the shell, and a muscular foot that they use for motion, many types of mollusks are raised and captured for food. Worms, slimy but vital. These slimy elongated animals are vital to our ecology. Earthworms, for example, aerate the soil making it more fertile. They are also an important source of food for many animals. Starfish sea urchins and sand dollars. These marine animals get their phylum name from their spiny skin. They usually show a 5 part radial symmetry, and generally are equipped with tube feet. Jellyfishes, corals, and sea anemones. These beautiful diverse marine animals are armed with tiny stinging structures. They all exhibit radial symmetry. Simpleton sponges. They are primitive, mostly marine, water dwelling filter feeders, that pump water through their bodies to filter out particles of food matter. Sponges are among the simplest of animals. They lack muscles, nerves, and internal organs. Finished, now you should have more appreciation of invertebrates. The most numerous animals on earth. For more information and games, go to our website, shepherd's software dot com.