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Animals Without Backbones

Submitted by: Graile Casilen

Submitted to: Maam Bangtowan

Invertebrate, any animal lacking a backbone. Invertebrates are by far the most numerous animals on Earth. Nearly 2 million species have been identified to date. These 2 million species make up about 98 percent of all the animals identified in the entire animal kingdom. Some scientists believe that the true number of invertebrate species may be as high as 100 million and that the work of identifying and classifying invertebrate life has only just begun. Invertebrates live in a vast range of habitats, from forests and deserts to caves and seabed mud. In oceans and lakes they form part of the planktonan immense array of miniature living organisms that drift in the surface currents. Invertebrates are also found in the soil beneath our feet and in the air above our heads. Some are powerful fliers, using wings to propel themselves, but others, particularly the smallest invertebrates, float on the slightest breeze. These tiny invertebrates form clouds of aerial plankton that drift unseen through the skies. Although the majority of invertebrates are small, a few reach impressive sizes. The true heavyweights of the invertebrate world are giant squid, which can be over 18 m (60 ft) long and can weigh more than 2,000 kg (4,000 lb). The longest are ribbon worms, also known as nemerteans, whose pencil-thin bodies can grow up to 55 m (180 ft) from head to tail. At the other end of the size scale, animals called rotifers rank among the smallest invertebrates of all. Some species may reach 3 mm (0.12 in) in size, but most are less than 0.001 mm (0.00004 in), smaller than the largest bacteria.

Porifera
Sponge, any of several thousand species constituting a phylum of simple invertebrate animals. Sponges are mainly marine, with a few freshwater species. They are abundant throughout the world and especially in tropical waters, where they and other invertebrates such as corals are important in the formation of calcareous deposits. All major sponge groups in existence today had representatives living in the Cambrian period, about 600 million years ago. Considerable debate exists as to the relation of sponges to other invertebrate groups (see Animal). That they are a multicellular line derived from single-celled protozoans is generally accepted, but their relationship to the cnidarians (jellyfish and corals) is less clear. One widely held view is that both cnidarians and sponges have a common ancestor.

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Coelenterates
The coelenterates also live in the water. They have soft bodies That enable them to float. Most coelenterates live near the surface of the water

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Nematodes
Commonly known as roundworms, these animals are one of the most diverse and geographically widespread invertebrate phyla. Free-living roundworms inhabit freshwater and marine habitats, as well as soil. Parasitic roundworms prey on both plants and animals, causing widespread agricultural damage and disease. Roundworms have long, cylindrical bodies with a mouth surrounded by lips and sensory papillae or bristles. Fluid in the body cavity distributes nutrients and oxygenroundworms do not have special respiratory or circulatory systems. Roundworms prey on other invertebrates as well as diatoms, algae, and fungi. They reproduce sexually and larvae undergo at least four molts before reaching their adult size and shape.

Helminth Worm

Annelids
Segmented worms with a muscular body wall used for burrowing. External hairs called setae aid in traction during burrowing. An internal coelom is divided into compartments by walls known as septum. The digestive system stretches from the mouth to the anus, differentiated into regions, each with a different function. Reproduction is sexual.

Leeche

Mollusk

Diverse animals found in water and on land. Most mollusks have a hard shell that protects a soft body, although in some mollusks the hard shell is missing or hardly visible. A feeding organ called a radula contains rows of teeth used to scrape food into the mouth. Enzymes in salivary glands partially digest food before it reaches the intestines. Reproduction is sexual and some mollusks have a larval form.

Clams

Arthropods

Largest and most diverse invertebrate phylum characterized by animals with jointed limbs, a segmented body, and an exoskeleton made of chitin. Arthropods are abundant and successful in almost all habitats. The exoskeleton is divided into plates that enhance flexibility and movement. Periodic molting of the exoskeleton permits growth. Arthropods have a complex brain and nervous system. Many arthropods have a compound eye made up of numerous light-sensitive parts. Reproduction is sexual.

Spider crab

Echinoderms

Marine animals distinguished by their radial symmetry in which the body can be divided into five parts arranged around a central axis. They have internal skeletons composed of calcareous ossicles with projecting spines that give the body surface a bumpy appearance. They use body appendages called processes for feeding and locomotion. Reproduction is sexual and some have a larval form.

Sea Urchin

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