CLASSIFYING INVERTEBRATES

AN INVERTEBRATE IS AN ANIMAL WITHOUT A

BACKBONE. IN FACT, INVERTEBRATES DON’T HAVE
ANY BONES AT ALL. INVERTEBRATES THAT YOU MAY
BE FAMILIAR WITH INCLUDE SPIDERS, WORMS, SNAILS,
LOBSTERS, CRABS AND INSECTS LIKE BUTTERFLIES.
HOWEVER, HUMANS AND OTHER ANIMALS WITH
BACKBONES ARE VERTEBRATES.
 CRUSTACEANS
Crustaceans make up a very large group of the Arthropods which
include the crabs, lobsters, crayfish, shrimp, krill, barnacles brine
shrimp, copepods, ostracods and mantis shrimp. Crustaceans are
found in a wide range of habitats - most are free-living freshwater
or marine animals, but some are terrestrial, some are parasitic and
some do not move. Crustaceans are invertebrates with a hard
exoskeleton (carapace), a segmented body that is bilaterally
symmetrical, more than four pairs of jointed appendages ("legs")
and an open circulatory system (the "blood" does not flow in a
closed loop). They also have eyes usually on stalks, a primitive
ventral nerve cord and "brain" (ganglia near the antennae), a
digestive system which is a straight tube for grinding food and a
pair of digestive glands. Gills are used for respiration and they
have a pair of green glands to excrete wastes (found near the base
of the antennae).

PROTOZOA
Protozoa are one-celled animals found worldwide in most habitats.
Most species are free living, but all higher animals are infected
with one or more species of protozoa. Infections range from
asymptomatic to life threatening, depending on the species and
strain of the parasite and the resistance of the host.

ANNELID
Annelid any member of a phylum of invertebrate animals that
are characterized by the possession of a body cavity (or coelom),
movable bristles (or setae), and a body divided into segments by
transverse rings, or annulations, from which they take their name.
The coelom is reduced in leeches, and setae are lacking a few
specialized forms, including leeches. A major invertebrate phylum
of the animal kingdom, the annelids number more than
9,000 species distributed among three classes: the marine
worms (Polychaeta), which are divided into free-
moving and sedentary, or tube-dwelling, forms;
the earthworms (Oligochaeta); and the leeches (Hirudinea).

ECHINODERM
Echinoderm any of a variety of invertebrate marine animals
belonging to the phylum Echinodermata, characterized by a hard,
spiny covering or skin. Beginning with the dawn of the Cambrian
Period (542 million to 488 million years ago), echinoderms have a
rich fossil history and are well represented by many bizarre groups,
most of which are now extinct. Living representatives include the
classes Crinoidea (sea lilies and feather stars), Echinoidea (sea
urchins), Holothuroidea (sea cucumbers), Asteroidea (starfishes, or
sea stars), Ophiuroidea (basket stars and serpent stars, or brittle
stars), and Concentricycloidea (sea daisies; discovered in the
1980s).

ARACHNIDA
Arachnida is a class of joint-legged arthropods, in the
subphylum Chelicerata. Arachnida includes, among
others, spiders, scorpions, ticks, mites, pseudoscorpions,
harvestmen, camel spiders, whip spiders and vinegaroons.

MOLLUSC
Mollusca is the second-largest phylum of invertebrate animals,
after Arthropoda; members are known as molluscs or mollusks.
Molluscs are the largest marine phylum, comprising about 23% of
all the named marine organisms. Numerous molluscs also live
in freshwater and terrestrial habitats. They are highly diverse, not
just in size and anatomical structure, but also in behaviour
and habitat. The phylum is typically divided into 7 or 8
taxonomic classes, of which two are
entirely extinct. Cephalopod molluscs, such as squid, cuttlefish,
and octopuses, are among the most neurologically advanced of
all invertebrates and either the giant squid or the colossal squid is
the largest known extant invertebrate species.
The gastropods (snails and slugs) are by far the most numerous
molluscs and account for 80% of the total classified species.

CNIDARIANS
Cnidarian, any member of the phylum Cnidaria (Coelenterata), a
group made up of more than 9,000 living species. Mostly marine
animals, the cnidarians include
the corals, hydras, jellyfish, Portuguese men-of-war, sea
anemones, sea pens, sea whips, and sea fans.
 INSECTS
Insects (from Latin insectum) are hexapod invertebrates of
the class Insecta. They are the largest group within
the arthropod phylum. Insects have a chitinous exoskeleton, a
three-part body (head, thorax and abdomen), three pairs of
jointed legs, compound eyes, and a pair of antennae. Insects are the
most diverse group of animals, with more than a million
described species; they represent more than half of all animal
species.

FISH
Fish live in the water, and they can breathe underwater. They use
gills not lungs to get oxygen from the water around them. Fish
have scale and fins. They are cold blooded which means that they
cannot control their own body temperature which changes based
on temperatures of the environment around them. Most fish also
lay eggs.

AMPHIBIAN
Amphibian are a group of animals that include frogs, toads, newts,
salamanders and more. Amphibians like fish it also cold blooded.
Unlike fish, amphibians can live on land and in the water and have
smooth moist skin. Amphibians lay their delicate jelly covered
eggs in the water. Amphibians are the only vertebrates that
undergo meta morphosis.

REPTILES
Reptiles you might know are turtles, snakes, crocodiles and lizards.
Like fish and amphibians, reptiles are cold blooded. Unlike them,
reptiles are air-breathing animals and cannot breathe underwater.
Even reptiles that live in the water must come to the surface to
breathe. Most reptiles lay eggs but they are very different from the
eggs of amphibians or fish.

BIRDS
Birds are easy to recognize. They are the only type of animals in
the world to have feathers. Like reptiles birds can only breathe air.
All birds have two legs and all birds also have wings but not all
birds fly. Birds are warm blooded. That means that they can
maintain a constant body temperature. Birds lay eggs but unlike
the eggs of reptiles, birds eggs have hard shells.

MAMMALS
Mammals are the group of animals that humans belongs to. Like
birds, mammals are warm blooded and breathe air. Even mammals
that live in water must come to the surface to breathe. All
mammals have atleast some fur or hair although some have less
than others. Almost all mammals give birth to live young instead
of laying eggs and all mammals feed their babies milk.
ARTHROPODS
PLATYHELMINTHES
MOLLUSKS
ECHINODERMS
PORIFERANS
NEMATODES
ANNELIDS
CNIDARIANS
ARTHRO MOLLUS ECHINOD PORIFER CNIDARI PLATYHEL NEMATO ANNELID
PODS KS ERMS ANS ANS MINTHES DES S