{"id":27789,"date":"2025-10-17T07:05:36","date_gmt":"2025-10-17T07:05:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vividscience.org\/?page_id=27789"},"modified":"2025-10-17T18:39:29","modified_gmt":"2025-10-17T18:39:29","slug":"invertebrates","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/vividscience.org\/index.php\/campus-envirobio\/consumers\/animals\/invertebrates\/","title":{"rendered":"4a2 Invertebrates"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\n \n Invertebrates <\/span>\n\n \n \n Numerous & Diverse Animals <\/span>\n <\/h1>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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Invertebrates Objectives<\/strong><\/h3> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n
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  • List the general characteristics of arthropod invertebrates.<\/strong><\/li>\n
  • Provide examples of crustaceans, insects, and arachnids.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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    Since we humans tend to organize and classify by patterns, we often try to assign things to simple groups, like assigning animals to either vertebrates or invertebrates.<\/h5> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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    “Invertebrate” is the name we give to every Phylum of animals that does not have a spinal cord protected by a backbone.\u00a0 In other words; most animals.\u00a0 Invertebrates include jellyfish, snails, lobsters, ants, sea stars, beetles, spiders, scorpions, mites, and so much more.<\/h5> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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    The problem with thinking “verts. vs. inverts.” is that:<\/h3>\n
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      we all share a common ancestor, so there are many shared characteristics between the vertebrates and invertebrates.<\/h6>\n<\/li>\n
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      it is easiest to put a lot of attention on us vertebrates, even though invertebrates play critical roles in Earth’s ecosystems.<\/h6>\n<\/li>\n
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      there are far more invertebrate species on Earth.<\/h6>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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      Approximately 95% of the animal species on Earth are invertebrates<\/h4> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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      34 of the 35 animal phyla (largest classification groups) are invertebrates<\/h4> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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      If you are looking for animals to study, you are likely to encounter arthropods.<\/h4>\n

      Arthropods rule Kingdom Animalia<\/em>, at least in term of number of different species.<\/h4> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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      Phylum Arthropoda, the arthropods, are species with jointed appendages, including antennae and legs.<\/h4> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n
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      The arthropods are broken into several groups or taxa.<\/h4> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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