UNIT 9.

INVERTEBRATES
What do you want to study?
 Invertebrates
Classification of invertebrates
Porifera
What are Cnidarians
we going Flatworms, Nematodes and
to study? Annelids
Molluscs
Arthropods
Echinoderms
Invertebrate animals

It is the largest and most

diverse group of animals on
the Earth. 95% of the known
animal species are
invertebrates.
They have no backbone.
Groups of invertebrates (main phyla)
Porifera
Cnidarians
Platyhelminthes
Nematodes
Annelids
Molluscs
Arthropods
Echinoderms
 PORIFERA
• Porifera (many pores).
• HABITAT
Aquatic animals that mainly live
in the sea
• MOVEMENT
Sessile (attached to the substrate)
• SYMMETRY
Assymetrical
BODY
• Different shapes: tubes, caps, irregular
shape…
• Internal skeleton : spicules, flexible fibres or
both
• No true tissues or organs
FEEDING
• By filtration (filter feeders)
REPRODUCTION
• Sexual (most hermaphrodites) and asexual
(fragmentation or budding)
• External fertilisation
Video PORIFERANS
 Habitat:

Movement:

Structure: (shape, symmetry, types of

cells)

Feeding:

Respiration:

Reproduction:

Fertilisation:
 CNIDARIANS
Aquatic animals, generally marine,
with radial simmetry. Their cells
group into simple tissues and some
have organs.
 Characteristics
HABITAT Most live in the ocean
SYMMETRY Radial
BODY
• The body is soft with an opening (mouth/anus)
surrounded by tentacles
• They have cnidoblasts (stinging cells)
• They have a gastrovascular cavity connected to the
mouth/anus
FEEDING They are all carnivorous predators
 Polyp

Two kinds

Jellyfish

Many cnidarians
present the two stages
during their life cycle
POLYP JELLYFISH
ALTERNATING REPRODUCTION
 Polyp stage
• Sessile
• Sac-shaped
• They have internal skeleton formed by spicules and some an external
skeleton of minerals
• Asexual reproduction

Hydra Anemone Corals

What are sea anemones?
What are corals?
What reef is the biggest?
The great barrier reef
 Jellyfish

• Umbrella- shaped They move

by contracting their bodies or
being pushed by ocean
currents
• Sexual reproduction
Which jellyfish is
the smallest?

Common kingslayer
(Malo Kingi)
And the biggest jellyfish?
The hair jelly (Cyanea capillata )
 Are there edible jellyfishes?
Blue blubber jellyfish (Catostylus mosaicus)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5DKzt8rzq4
Bioluminiscence Cristal jelly (Aequorea victoria)
What animal is the most venomous in the world?

Sea wasp (Chironex fleckeri)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTfCPyn-RiE
 Jellyfish in Spain
MEDUSAS EN ESPAÑA

Fried egg jellyfish (Cotylorhiza

tuberculata)
 What should we do when
we are stung by a jellyfish?

• Clear the area with salty water

inmediately
• Never clean the area with fresh water. Use
physiological serum
• Use tweezers to remove any remains of
the jellyfish
• Apply cold during 15 minutes, using ice
wrapped into plastic in a towel
• You should never touch a death jellyfish
Video CNIDARIANS
Platyhelminthe
Nematodes Annelids
s
 General characteristics of platyhelminthes,
nematodes and annelids

• Bilateral symmetry
• A soft, worm-shaped body with no skeleton
• No legs
 PLATYHELMINTHES
Habitat
• They live in aquatic or damp terrestrial places
Nutrition
• Most are parasites
Body
• Long soft flat bodies . They have a head at the front of their bodies
Tapeworms Planarians
 Tapeworms
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28YpDTwCbDc

• Intestinal parasites

• Scolex: allows them to anchor to the intestinal walls

• Rest of the body divided into segments

• They don´t have mouth. They absorb nutrients through

their bodies

• Hermaphrodites. Capacity to self-fertilise

 Planarians

• Free-living aquatic flatworms

• Digestive cavity with one orifice in the middle of
the ventral part
• Sexual and asexual reproduction( fragmentation)
 NEMATODES
Habitat
• They are found in almost all habitats, aquatic and terrestrial
Body
• Unsegmented cylindrical bodies with pointed ends. Digestive
system with mouth and anus (complete digestive tract)
Nutrition
• Some are parasites and others live independently
Reproduction
• Sexual reproduction (internal fertilisation)
Pinworms Whipworms
 ANNELIDS
Body
• Worms with segmented cylindrical bodies. The
segments are called metameres. Digestive tube with
mouth and anus.
Nutrition
• Some are parasites; others are free living
Habitat
• They are found in the sea, in fresh water and in damp
soils
Reproduction:
• Mostly sexual
Are the segments in tapeworms and in annelids the
same?
 GROUPS OF ANNELIDS
Earthworms Marine worms Leeches

Feeding: deposit Feeding: plancton Feeding: blood from

feeders (remains of Respiration: gills vertebrates
organic matter) Respiration: cutaneus
They have many long
Respiration: cutaneus setae to move
What annelid is the biggest ?
Giant Gippslan earthworm (Megascolides australis)
Plume worms

Fire worm
Abisal worms
T-rex leech (Tyrannobdella
rex)
Video WORMS
 MOLLUSCS
Habitat
• The majority are aquatic
Body:
• Soft bodies
• Bilateral symmetry
• Body divided into 3 parts: head (not
all), muscular foot and visceral mass
 head To crawl

Muscular foot To dig

To hunt

Visceral mass Secretes the

Covered by the
(internal shell (external
mantle
organs) or internal)
Digestive tube
• Complete. Some with radula (toothed tongue)
Respiration
• Aquatic through gills and terrestrials with a
cavity as a lung
Reproduction
• Sexual reproduction with internal fertilisation.
Oviparous.
Classification
 Bivalves
Habitat:
• Aquatic
Body structure
• Two external shells or valves mussel
• No head
• The foot is usually small and hatchet-shaped
Feeding
• Filter feeders
Respiration
• By gills clam
 Gastropods
Habitat:
• Mostly aquatic (some terrestrial)
Body structure
• They have a spiral shell (there are some exceptions)
• Head with 4 tentacles
Diet
• Mostly herbivores
Respiration:
• Aquatic by gills and terrestrial by lungs
Movement:
• Crawling
Giant african snail. It can reach 30 cm long
 Joruna parva
Video SEA BUNNIES

Chromodoris reticulata

Video NUDIBRANCHS
Cephalopods
 Characteristics of cephalopods
Habitat
• Marine animals
Body structure
• The head is well-developed with two large eyes
• The foot is divided into tentacles with suckers
• Beak-shaped jaw and radula
• They all have an internal shell except for the
octopi (that do not) and the nautilus (it is
external)
• Siphon: to move
Respiration
• Gills
Feeding
• Carnivores
CUTTLEFISH
 Giant squid

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5svBKrHJrk
 Why do they expel
ink?

• To escape
• Glands with ink among
the gills
https://www.youtube.com
/watch?v=e_6994heYIc
 What colour is
cephalopods´ blood?
Blue
Which octopus is the biggest?

Pacific giant octopus

Video PACIFIC GIANT OCTOPUS

And the smallest octopus? Wolfi octopus
In the Pacific and Indian ocean
 Are there
venomous octopi?
Blue ring octopus

Video BLUE RING OCTOPUS

The mimic octopus (Thaumoctopus mimicus)

Video THE MIMIC OCTOPUS

 The intelligence
of the octopi

Video THE INTELLIGENCE OF THE OCTOPI

Video MOLLUSCS
ARTHROPODS
 Characteristics of
arthropods
Symmetry
• Bilateral
Habitat
• Terrestrial or aquatic
Organization
• Jointed appendages (legs, antennae or mouth pieces)
• Segmented body divided into head, thorax and abdomen
(some: head and thorax fused cephalotorax)
• Exoskeleton.
• Moulting (They shed the exoskeleton as they grow)
Feeding
• Carnivores, herbivores or even parasites
Digestive tube
• Complete
Respiration:
• Terrestrials tracheas, some special lungs and
aquatics gills
Reproduction
• Sexual and internal fertilisation. Oviparous
Development
• Many undergo metamorphosis
 CLASSIFICATION
Arthropods are classified into 4 groups depending on the number of legs

Myriapods

Arachnids

Crustaceans

Insects
 Myriapods
• Terrestrial
• Segmented body divided into
head and trunk
• Head with a pair of antennae and
a pair of chewing mouthparts
• They breath through tracheas
 Chilopoda Diplopoda
(Centipedes) (Millipedes)

• Flat body • Cylindrical body

• One pair of legs on each segment • Two pairs of legs on each segment
• Carnivores • Herbivores or detritivores
Forcipules
The giant
African
millipede

Video MYRIAPODS
 Arachnids
Habitat
• Terrestrials
Organization
• 4 pairs of legs ( 8 legs )
• Body divided into cephalothorax + abdomen
• They lack antennae
• In the cephalothorax:
simple eyes
chelicerae (for feeding)
pedipalps (for defensive and sensory functions)
Spiders

Scorpion
s

Mites
 Spiders
• Non segmented abdomen
• Silk glands: produce spider´s web
• Inject venom with the chelicerae
Which is more
resistant: steel or
spider web?
Jumping spider (Phidippus regius)

Video JUMPING SPIDERS

 Video BLACK WIDOW
Black widow (Latrodectus mactans)

Chilean recluse spider (Chile) Video CHILEAN RECLUSE SPIDER

Funnel spider (Atrax robustus)
http://www.rtve.es/alacarta/videos/noticias-24-horas/atrax-robustus-arana-australiana-cuya-picadura
-puede-ser-mortal/1518653/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gx9ZUXUJuaU
 Which spider is the biggest?

Goliath tarantula
 Scorpions
• Reduced chelicerae
• Pedipalps take the
form of pincers
• Segmented abdomen
and at the end a “sting”
that is connected to a
venom gland
Which scorpion is the most poisonous?
Thick tail scorpion (Androctonus australis)
And the biggest?
Emperor scorpion
 Mites Video ARACHNIDS

• Cephalothorax and abdomen fused

• There are carnivore species, detritivorous and parasites

Ticks House dust mites

CRUSTACEANS
 Characteristics
Habitat
• Most of them aquatic

Feeding
• Varied : carnivores/ filter feeders

Development
• Metamorphosis
Body organization

• Body divided into cephalothorax and

abdomen
• Two pairs of antennae and five pairs
of legs in the cephalothorax
(10 legs)
• The majority a pair of mobile eyes
and a pair of jaws
• They sometimes have non articulated
appendages on their abdomen divided
into two parts
(to swim and catch prey)
Woodlouse Spiny lobster

Hermit crab Anfipodes prawn

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDtSv-3VNoI
 Prawn
Lobster

Brown crab Crab

Metamorphosis
of a crustacean
 The biggest crustacean?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSf5a3TY-O8

Spider crab Video CRUSTACEANS

INSECTS
 Characteristics
Habitat
• Found in all habitats except the open sea
Most numerous group of the animal kingdom

Body organization
• Body divided into head, thorax and abdomen
• Head with a pair of antennae
• Three pairs of legs (6 legs)
• Sometimes one or two pairs of wings
• They have a pair of compound eyes
• They have different mouthparts depending on their diet
 Most undergo metamorphosis

Incomplete
- Egg
- Nymph
- Adult

Complete
- Egg
- Larva
- Pupa or chrysalis
- Adult
Praying mantis

Diabolic mantis(Idolomantis diabólica)

Dung beetle Ladybird
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWgu5QBMQrA

Hummingbird moth Monarch butterfly

Panda ant Poodle moth
 Ants
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vG-QZOTc5_Q
 Biggest insect?

Stick insect of Borneo

Giant wetta
Pondskater
Which insect is the most
dangerous?
Mosquito Anopheles: malaria

Video INSECTS
ECHINODERMS
 General characteristics
Habitat
• They live in the sea
Symmetry
• Generally radial symmetry
Body organization
• Dermoskeleton (internal skeleton): rigid plates
under the skin
• No head
• Ambulacral system: locomotion, excretion, respiration and
circulation
• Complete digestive tube
Reproduction
• Asexual and sexual reproduction with external fertilisation
 Echinoids

Asteroideans

Classes Holothurians

Ophiurans

Crinoideans
 Echinoids

• Echinoderms with globular bodies with fused plates that form a shell
and long spikes
• Mouth with five radial teeth: Aristotle´s lantern
• Mainly herbivores

Sea urchin
Aristotle´s lantern
Are there poisonous sea
urchins?
Fire sea urchin
 Asteroideans

• Disc-shaped bodies with arms

• The plates on their dermoskeleton are jointed and their spikes are shorter
• They can reproduce asexually by fragmentation: high capacity of
regeneration
• Carnivorous

Starfish
 Do starfishes
move?
https://www.youtube.com
/watch?v=q4XZa20e-24
Where are the
starfishes´eyes
located?
Are there poisonous starfishes?
Crown of thorns starfish
 Starfish eating
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A100m5EpfFI
 Holothurians
• Long bodies
• No arms or spikes
• They live on the seabed
• Their skeleton consist of small plates
spread around their bodies
• Detritivores
• To protect themselves from predators they Sea cucumber
expel water from their anus and sticky
filaments
 Ophiuroideans
• Carnivorous predators, filter feeders or deposit feeders
• Arms enable movement

Brittle stars
 Crinoideans

• Filter feeders
• Most live attached to the sea bed

Video ECHINODERMS

Sea lilies
 TEAMWORK PROJECT
• Create your “invertebrate song”
• Groups of 4 or 5
• About one phylum of invertebrates
• Recorda videoclip.
• In the song you must give information about the general characteristics of
that phylum: body organization, movement, habitat, feeding and
reproduction. If there are different groups in that phylum you have to talk
about them too and give some examples of species belonging to them.
• Include some curiosities.
• Use your imagination: you have to write and turn in the lyrics of the song.
• The more original the better.
• The song must be 3-5 minutes long.
Group 1:
• Porifera and Cnidarians
Group 2
• Platyhelminthes, nematodes and annelids
Group 3
• Molluscs
Group 4
• Echinoderms
Group 5:
• Arthropods: crustaceans and arachnids
Group 6:
• Arthropods: myriapods and insects