Invertebrates
Importance
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95-99% of all species
Pollination
Recycling
Food in many cultures
Food webs
Maintenance of ecological communities
E.O. Wilson
“If human beings were not so impressed by size
alone, they would consider an ant more
wonderful than a rhinoceros.”
Basics
• Aquatic vs. Terrestrial
– Arboreal, aerial
• Anatomical Definitions
– Hemolymph, exoskeleton, hydrostatic skeleton
• Reproductive terms
– Dioecious, hermaphroditic, parthenogenesis
Ctenophora “Comb Jellies”
• Marine waters
• Carnivorous Diet
• Water requirements
dependent on species
• Most are
hermaphroditic
Phylogeny
Porifera “Sponges”
• Primarily Marine; sessile
• Water requirements
dependent on species
• Unique feeding system;
tiny pores; water flow
necessary
• Reproduce by both sexual
and asexual means
Phylogeny
Cnidaria
Anemones
Jellyfish
•Radial symmetry,Hydrostatic
skeleton, Dimorphic development
•Can sting!
Coral
Anemones
• Marine
• Most capture animal prey; zooanthellae
• Variable but specific temperature requirements
dependent upon species
• Asexual reproduction
• Interspecific Aggression
Jellyfish
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Marine
Predators – have stingers!
Sexual reproduction
Lots of species variability
Coral
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Marine
Zooxanthellae; Most capture animal prey
Sexual & Asexual Reproduction
Can exhibit contact inhibition and interspecific
aggression in the tank
• Hermatypic vs Ahermatypic
Phylogeny
Echinoderms
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Marine
Water quality important- toxicity problems
Diet is largely dependent on species
Asexual & sexual reproduction dependent on
species
• Water vascular system locomotion, gripping,
feeding
http://www.studentreader.com/files/purplestarfishonrocks.jpg
Phylogeny
Sea Squirts
• Sessile, marine
• Herbivorous diet
• Sexual or Asexual
reproduction
• 90% of all
urochordates
http://www.lancashiremcs.org.uk/gallery/pics/sea-squirt.jpg
Gastropods
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Marine & freshwater
Sessile and mobile
Filter feeders
Substrate
Dioecious or hermaphroditic
http://jrscience.wcp.muohio.edu/photos/SeagrassMolluscs.jpeg
Cephalopods
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Marine Aquatic
Varied diet
Active hunters
Dioecious
http://www.aquariumofpacific.org/images/olc/nautilusj.baecke
r_berlin_zoo_aquarium_pd600.jpg
Phylogeny
Pogonophora & Vestimentifera
• Deep sea dwelling worms!
• Often grouped together
www.ucmp.berkeley.edu
www.nsf.gov
Phylogeny
Annelids
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Aquatic and terrestrial
Varied diet and feeding strategies
Sexual reproduction; dioecious
Biomedical & ecological importance
http://www.education.umd.edu/blt/pic/Annelids.jpg
Phylogeny
Rotifers
• Most freshwater but some
marine and terrestrial
• Omnivores
• Parthenogenic or dioecious
Phylogeny
Flatworms (Turbellarians)
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Mostly Aquatic
Varied diet
Commensal and parasitic
Varied reproduction
http://www.dhadm.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/flatworm02.jpg
Nematodes
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Aquatic & Marine
Varied diet
Mostly parasitic
Dieocious or parthenogenic
http://soils.usda.gov/sqi/concepts/soil_biology/images/large_todes_LR.jpg
Phylogeny
Tardigrades
• Marine, freshwater
& terrestrial
• “Water bears”
• Cryptobiosis
http://www.uea.ac.uk/~b444219/images/TNWP_Echiniscus%20madonnae%20(SEM).jpg
Phylogeny
Onychophora
• Tropical, terrestrial
• Velvet worms or walking worms
• Prey on smaller arthropods
Phylogeny
Crustaceans
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Terrestrial and Aquatic
Diet dependent on species
Dieocious
Economic importance
www.britannica.com/eb/art/print?id=104965
Phylogeny
Insects
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Predominantly terrestrial
Varied Diet
Reproduction
Social Systems
Economical & Ecological Importance
Phylogeny
Myriapods
• Terrestrial
• Diet dependent on species
• Well defined environmental
requirements
• Dieocious; some parthenogenic
Myriapods
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Millipedes
Mostly herbivorous
Two pairs per body
segment
Non-aggressive; slow
Easy to handle
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Centipedes
Mostly carnivorous
One pair of legs per body
segment
Aggressive; fast!
Extremely hard to handle;
venomous
http://cordially.narod.ru/album/insect/images/home-centipede.jpg
http://www.garden-city.org/zoo/animalinfo/images/milipede_76pic.jpg
Phylogeny
Horseshoe Crabs
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Marine, Aquatic
Captive diet
Various habitats
Dieocious
Limulus amebocyte lysate (LAL) extracted from
hemolymph- Pharmaceutical use
http://io.uwinnipeg.ca/~simmons/16cm05/1116/33-28-HorseshoeCrabs.jpg
Phylogeny
SPIDERS!
Arachnids
Scorpions
• Terrestrial
• Carnivorous
• Environment: mostly
desert
• Sexual reproduction
Spiders
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Aquatic & terrestrial
Carnivores
Diverse Environments
Sexual Reproduction
Silk!
Terrestrial Spiders
• Arboreal vs. Non-arboreal
Aquatic Spiders
• Underwater “air bells”
Silk
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Made of Amino Acids
Very stable
Very Strong
Genetic Isolation
Production
Application