Introduction to Invertebrate Animals

Zoology We lead

• Zoology: Gr., zoion = animal + logos = study

The scientific study of animal life
• The branch of life sciences that deals with
animal organism as contrasted to botany (the
science that is concerned with the plant
organism).
 Introduction
We lead

• Invertebrate zoology – a fascinating but enormous

field
• The degree of morphological and functional diversity
found within some groups, even within single orders,
can overwhelm the beginning student
 INVERTEBRATA We lead

• Not a taxonomic group

• Total of nearly 40 phyla – half of these entirely
marine (many small phyla); the rest are
primarily marine with some freshwater and
some terrestrial (Insecta, Arachnida; a few are
parasites (Cestoda, Trematoda, some
Nematoda)
 What is an Invertebrate We lead

• Animal without backbone as opposed to

vertebrates in which a series of vertebrae
constitute a backbones
• Constitutes about more than 90 % of the
known animals.
• The differences between the groups are very
large, each group of invertebrates has certain
structural peculiarities, a special terminology
and a distinct classification.
 What is an Invertebrate We lead

• However the life of Invertebrates is a

fascinating, complicated as of the vertebrates.
• The secret life of animals on the whole.
• They have major and minor phyla.
– The concept apply is base on two factors,
• i ) the number of species and individual
• ii) their participation in ecological communities
 Major And Minor Phyla We lead

• On the basis of the first factors(number of

species and individual), 11 phyla appear to be
clearly major. These are
– Protozoa
– Porifera
– Cnidaria
– Platyhelminthes, Rotifera, Nematoda
– Mollusca, Annelida, Arthropoda
– Ectoprocta and Echinodermata
 Major And Minor Phyla We lead

• On the basis of second factor (participation in

ecological communities), if the phyla are represented
in great majority of ecological communities, they
would be regarded as major phyla.
• Whereas, the minor phyla form only a fraction of
animal communities. On this basis, Rotifera and
Ectoprocta cannot be consider as major phyla.
Although they are greater in number of species, but
they are included in minor phyla due to their limited
participation in animal communities
Lower And Higher Invertebrates We lead

• The invertebrate phyla are usually referred to

as lower and higher invertebrates.
• The lower invertebrates are simple in body
organizations and generally smaller in size
placed near the base of phylogenetic tree of
the Animal Kingdom, such as Protozoa,
Porifera, Cnidaria, Platyhelminthes and
Nematoda.
Lower And Higher Invertebrates We lead

• On the other hand, the higher invertebrate are

generally larger in size and possess a complex
body organization.
• These occupy higher position in the
phylogenetic tree of the Animal Kingdom
• The higher invertebrates also include various
phyla such as Mollusca, Annelida, Arthropoda
and Echinodermata.
 Invertebrate Phyla We lead

• Presently there are more than 30 invertebrate

phyla which are characterized by unique basic
structural pattern in each of them.
• Each phylum may differ in external features,
the anatomical features
• Evolutionary studies have confirmed that all
the members of an individual phylum have
been derived directly or indirectly from a
common primitive ancestral type
 Some Invertebrate Phyla We lead

• Phylum Placozoa Placozoa 1 species, Trichoplax

adhaerens. The body is platelike and has no
symmetry,no organs, and no muscular or
nervous system.
• Phylum Porifera Sponges 10 000 sp.
• Multicellular; body an aggregation of several
types of cells
• Body with pores (ostia), canals, and chambers
• No organs or true tissues;
 Some Invertebrate Phyla We lead

• Phylum Cnidaria Sea Anenomes,Jellyfishes

9500 sp., Entirely aquatic, some in freshwater, but most
marine. Two types of individuals: polyps and medusa. No
excretory or respiratory system. No coelomic cavity
• Phylum Ctenophora Comb Jellies 90 sp.
• Phylum .Platyhelminthes Flat Worms 25 000 sp.
 Some Invertebrate Phyla We lead

• Phylum Mesozoa Mesozoa 50 sp.

• Phylum Nemertina Ribbon Worms 900 sp.
Phylum Gnathostomulida Sand Worms 80 sp.
Phylum Gastrotricha Gastrotrichs 400 sp.
• Phylum Rotifera Rotifers 2000 sp.
• Phylum Nematoda Nematodes 80 000 sp.
• Phylum Nematomorpha Horsehair Worms 240sp.
Phylum Kinorhyncha Spiny-crown Worms 100sp.
Phylum Loricifera Brush Heads 10 sp.
 Some Invertebrate Phyla We lead

• Phylum Acanthocephala Spiny-headed Worms

1 000 sp.
• Phylum Cycliophora Cycliophorans 1 sp.
• Phylum Entoprocta Marine Mats 150 sp.
• Phylum Ectoprocta Bryozoans 5 000 sp.
• Phylum Phoronida Phoronans 10 sp.
• Phylum Brachiopoda Lamp Shells 335 sp.
• Phylum Mollusca Slugs, Snails, Squid.
110 000 sp.
 Some Invertebrate Phyla We lead

• Phylum Priapulida Phallus Worms 16 sp.

• Phylum Sipuncula Peanut Worms 320 sp.
• Phylum Echiura Spoon Worms 140 sp.
• Phylum Annelida Earthworms, Ragworms
9000 sp.
• Phylum Tardigrada Water Bears 700 sp.
• Phylum Pentastoma Tongueworms 70 sp.
• Phylum Onychophora Peripatus 80 sp.
 Some Invertebrate Phyla We lead

• Phylum Arthropoda Insects, Crabs, Spiders etc.

1 000 000 sp.
• Phylum Pogonophora Beard Worms 120 sp.
Phylum Echinodermata Starfish and allies
6000 sp.
• Phylum Chaetognatha Arrow-worms 110 sp.
 Vertebrates Phyla We lead

• Phylum Hemichordata Hemichordates 90 sp.

Phylum Chordata Chordates
(Tunicates, Mammals, Birds etc.) 50 000 sp.
General Characteristics of Invertebrates
We lead

1. Habitat
2. Numerical strength
3. Shape
4. Size
5. Symmetry
General Characteristics Of Invertebrates
We lead

• 6. Grade of organization
– Protoplasmic grade is seen in Protozoa
– Cellular grade in sponges
– Cell-tissue grade in Cnidaria
– Tissue-organ grade in flatworm
– Organ-system grade to perform some function in
higher invertebrate
General Characteristics Of Invertebrates
We lead

7. The present or absence of germ layers

8. Simple integument
9. Multiple movement devices
10. The present or absence of segmentation
11. Absence of living endoskeleton
12. Types of coelom
13. Dorsal gut
14. Intra as well as extracellular digestion
General Characteristics Of Invertebrates
We lead

15. Open as well as closed circulatory system

16. Diversified respiratory system
17. Diversified excretory mechanisms
18. Ventral solid nervous system
19. Simple sense organs
20. Varied mode of reproduction
21. Cold-blooded animals
 Why study invertebrate biology?
We lead

Technical Reasons
Practical Reasons
Aesthetic Reasons 
Conceptual Reasons
 Technical Reasons
We lead

• To learn proper names of animals and their

parts.
• We cannot communicate about animals until
we name them.
 Practical Reasons
We lead

• Invertebrates are food for many vertebrates (wildlife

management)
• Many agricultural pests are invertebrates
• Many invertebrates are deadly to humans as
parasites (nematodes) or as vectors for serious
human diseases (mites, mosquitoes)
 We lead

• Knowing basic invertebrate biology yields insights

into human biology; evidence that life has a common
heritage:
– field of immunology founded by Metchnikoff in
1883 based on the simple observation of clumping
amoebocytes in injured starfish larvae; he later
won the Nobel Prize in Medicine.
• model invertebrate systems (e.g., nematodes, fruit
flies) help us understand gene functions & possible
roles in human disorders 
• light-emitting jellyfish yielded a molecule to visualize
calcium
 Aesthetic Reasons
We lead

• For the joy of discovering extraordinary forms abilities of

animals (some discoveries make national news)
• Impressively large body sizes:
– the largest living invertebrate is 19 m long, weighs over
500 kg, and can swim at 25 kph in water! (giant squid) 
– crabs may have a leg span exceeding 4 m! (Japanese spider
crab)
– earthworms may exceed 3 m in length! (Australian
earthworm)
– marine ribbon worms may reach 30 m in length!
(Nemertea)
– worms 2 m long & 3-4 cm diameter have no gut!
(Vestimentifera)
 We lead

• Impressively large body parts:

– worms with a proboscis 350x longer than body! (Echiura)
– crab with one claw at 40% of total body weight! (fiddler
crab)
• Impressive abilities, some dangerous to humans:
– shrimp that can snap fish out of the water, or pulverize a
snail shell by pounding! (mantis shrimps)
– snails that paralyze fish & swallow them whole! (cone
snails)
 Conceptual Reason
We lead

• The Tree of Life is a grand vision

 Why study invertebrates? We lead

• Much fascinating and important research has

been conducted and continues to be
conducted using invertebrates
• Many diseases of humans and of animals and
plants upon which we depend are caused by
invertebrates, either directly or indirectly
• Invertebrates form the base of most food web
in all habitats
 We lead

• Studies of various invertebrate species reveal much

of what we know of:
– Gene expressions, mitosis, meiosis
– Aging, mechanisms of pattern formation during
embryonic development
– Biochemical basis of learning and memory
– The biology of vision
 We lead

• Much of what we know about the

mechanisms by which genetic diversity
originates, is maintained, and is transmitted to
succeeding generations comes to us through
the study of invertebrates
• Many basic principles of animal behaviour,
development, physiology, ecology and
evolution
 Present Research
We lead

• helps in unraveling the story of how immune

recognition systems evolved and how they
work
• Interest in certain invertebrates is increasing
– as biological agents for controlling various
agricultural pests
– as sources of unique chemicals of potential
biomedical importance
 We lead

• In biodiversity studies
– widely used to evaluate and monitor
• pollutant stress in aquatic environments
• the rapid loss of invertebrate species from both
terrestrial and aquatic habitats
Ecological impact of biological invasions of
invertebrates We lead

• Currently, there is a growing concern about

ecological impact of biological invasions of
invertebrates (increase spread of invertebrate
species of many phyla into non-native
habitats)
Thank you