Bugs, Mollusks & Other Invertebrates, HIS-MAY
Yet, in addition to being critically important—because they naturally recycle decaying matter—in maintaining balance within the food chain, bugs can also be fascinating creatures, whether in regard to the water strider's ability to run across the surface of water or the assassin bugs' varied and creative means of catching and killing their prey. Mollusks, another group of invertebrates, get less of a bad rap. Their ranks include nearly 100,000 described species of soft-bodied animals that are usually wholly or partly enclosed in a calcium carbonate shell; examples include snails, clams, oysters, squids, and octopuses.
Bugs, Mollusks & Other Invertebrates Encyclopedia Articles By Title
hister beetle, (family Histeridae), any of approximately 3,900 species of beetles (insect order Coleoptera) that......
Holectypus, genus of extinct echinoids, animals much like the modern sea urchins and sand dollars, found as fossils......
homopteran, (order Homoptera), any of more than 32,000 species of sucking insects, the members of which exhibit......
honey ant, any of several different species of ant that have developed a unique way of storing the honeydew, a......
honeybee, (tribe Apini), any of a small group of social bees that make honey. The tribe comprises a single genus......
hooded shrimp, any member of the order Cumacea (superorder Peracarida), a group of small, predominantly marine......
hookworm, any of several parasitic worms of the genera Necator and Ancylostoma belonging to the class Nematoda......
horn coral, any coral of the order Rugosa, which first appeared in the geologic record during the Ordovician Period,......
hornet, (genus Vespa), genus of about 20 species of the wasps (order Hymenoptera), most of which are native to......
horny sponge, any sponge of the orders Dictyoceratida and Dendroceratida (class Demospongiae). It has a skeleton......
horsehair worm, any of the approximately 250 to 300 species of the class Nematomorpha, or Gordiacea (phylum Aschelminthes).......
horseshoe crab, (order Xiphosura), common name of four species of marine arthropods (class Merostomata, subphylum......
horseshoe shrimp, any member of the marine crustacean subclass Cephalocarida (class Crustacea), named because of......
horseshoe worm, phylum name Phoronida, a small group (about 12 species) of wormlike marine invertebrates that live......
human louse, (Pediculus humanus), a common species of sucking louse in the family Pediculidae (suborder Anoplura,......
Hydra, genus of invertebrate freshwater animals of the class Hydrozoa (phylum Cnidaria). The body of such an organism......
Hydractinia, genus of marine hydrozoan polyps (phylum Cnidaria), a group of invertebrate animals with a thin tubelike......
hydroid, any member of the invertebrate class Hydrozoa (phylum Cnidaria). Most hydroids inhabit marine environments,......
Hymenoptera, (order Hymenoptera), the third largest—and perhaps the most beneficial to humans—of all insect orders.......
Hyposmocoma, moth genus containing more than 350 described species in the family Cosmopterigidae (order Lepidoptera).......
ice bug, (order Grylloblatodea), any of approximately 25 species of rare and primitive insects found in the mountains......
immortal jellyfish, (Turritopsis dohrnii), species of tiny, translucent, jellyfish-like invertebrate animals of......
Inoceramus, genus of extinct pelecypods (clams) found as fossils in Jurassic to Cretaceous rocks (laid down between......
insect, (class Insecta or Hexapoda), any member of the largest class of the phylum Arthropoda, which is itself......
- Introduction
- Diversity, Adaptations, Habitats
- Pollination, Adaptation, Nutrition
- Crop Pests, Damage, Control
- Adaptation, Metamorphosis, Diversity
- Hormone Regulation, Metamorphosis, Adaptation
- Social Behavior, Colonies, Communication
- Thorax, Wings, Legs
- Hemolymph, Heart, Trachea
- Nerves, Sensory Organs, Reflexes
- Fossil, Adaptation, Evolution
- Metamorphosis, Adaptation, Morphology
- Orders, Morphology, Behavior
invertebrate, any animal that lacks a vertebral column, or backbone, in contrast to the cartilaginous or bony vertebrates.......
Irukandji jellyfish, any of at least 16 species of box jellyfish (class Cubozoa) known for their transparency,......
isopod, any member of the order Isopoda (class Crustacea), a group of diverse, widely occurring forms including......
Isotelus, genus of trilobites (extinct arthropods) restricted to Europe and North America during the Ordovician......
Japanese beetle, (species Popillia japonica), an insect that is a major pest and belongs to the subfamily Rutelinae......
jellyfish, any planktonic marine member of the class Scyphozoa (phylum Cnidaria), a group of invertebrate animals......
Jerusalem cricket, (subfamily Stenopelmatinae), any of about 50 species of insects in the family Stenopelmatidae......
jingle shell, any of several marine invertebrates of the class Bivalvia belonging to the family Anomiidae. In most......
Jonah crab, North American crab species (Cancer borealis) closely related to the Dungeness crab...
joro spider, (Trichonephila clavata), large and visually striking orb weaver spider. Native to Asia, including......
jumping plant louse, any member of the approximately 2,000 species of the insect family Psyllidae (order Homoptera).......
jumping spider, (family Salticidae), any of more than 5,000 species of spiders (order Araneida) known for their......
June bug, (genus Phyllophaga), genus of nearly 300 species of plant-eating beetles that commonly appear in the......
katydid, (family Tettigoniidae), any of about 8,000 predominantly nocturnal insects that are related to crickets......
kelp crab, Pacific species of spider crab...
kermes, (Kermes ilicis), a species of scale insect in the family Kermesidae (order Homoptera), the common name......
king crab, (Paralithodes camtschaticus), marine crustacean of the order Decapoda, class Malacostraca. This edible......
kinorhynch, any of the approximately 150 species of microscopic marine invertebrates of the phylum Kinorhyncha,......
krill, any member of the crustacean order Euphausiacea or of the genus Euphausia within that suborder. Euphausiids......
lace bug, (family Tingidae), any of about 800 species of insects (order Heteroptera) in which the adult, usually......
lacewing, (order Neuroptera), any of a group of insects that are characterized by a complex network of wing veins......
ladybug, (family Coccinellidae), family of approximately 5,000 widely distributed species of beetles. The name......
lamp shells, any member of the phylum Brachiopoda, a group of bottom-dwelling marine invertebrates. They are covered......
land crab, any crab of the family Gecarcinidae (order Decapoda of the class Crustacea), typically terrestrial,......
land snail, any of the approximately 35,000 species of snails (phylum Mollusca) adapted to life away from water.......
lanternfly, (Lanternaria phosphorea), a large, brightly coloured South American plant hopper (order Homoptera)......
lappet, any member of the insect genus Tolype of the Lasiocampidae family of moths (order Lepidoptera). The genus......
leaf beetle, (family Chrysomelidae), any of approximately 35,000 species of beetles that occur throughout the world......
leaf insect, (family Phylliidae), any of more than 50 species of flat, usually green insects that are known for......
leaf roller moth, any member of the worldwide insect family Tortricidae (order Lepidoptera), named for the characteristic......
leaf-cutter bee, (family Megachilidae), any of a group of bees (order Hymenoptera), particularly genus Megachile,......
leaf-rolling grasshopper, any of a group of insects in the subfamily Gryllacridinae (order Orthoptera) that are......
leaf-rolling weevil, (family Attelabidae), any member of a subgroup of the weevil family, Curculionidae (insect......
leafcutter ant, any of nearly 50 species of ants abundant in the American tropics, easily recognized by their foraging......
leafhopper, any of the small, slender, often beautifully coloured and marked sap-sucking insects of the large family......
leech, (subclass Hirudinea), any of about 650 species of segmented worms (phylum Annelida) characterized by a small......
leopard moth, (Zeuzera pyrina), widely distributed insect of the family Cossidae (order Lepidoptera), known particularly......
lepidopteran, (order Lepidoptera), any of about 180,000 species of butterflies, moths, and skippers. This order......
Leptaena, genus of extinct brachiopods (lamp shells) commonly found as fossils in Ordovician to Lower Carboniferous......
Leptodesma, extinct genus of pelecypods (clams) found as fossils in Silurian to Lower Carboniferous rocks (between......
Leptodus, extinct genus of articulate brachiopods, or lamp shells, of the Permian Period (299 million to 251 million......
Leucosolenia, genus of tubular branched sponges of the class Calcispongiae (phylum Porifera). Found in tide pools......
limpet, any of various snails (class Gastropoda, phylum Mollusca) having a flattened shell. Most marine species......
lingulid, any member of a group of brachiopods, or lamp shells, that includes very ancient extinct forms as well......
Linoproductus, genus of extinct articulate brachiopods (lamp shells) found throughout the midcontinent region of......
lion’s mane jellyfish, (Cyanea capillata), marine jellyfish of the class Scyphozoa (phylum Cnidaria) found in the......
Liriope, genus of small marine jellyfish of the class Hydrozoa (phylum Cnidaria). Its medusoid body is characteristically......
Lituites, genus of extinct cephalopods (primitive animals related to the modern pearly nautilus) found as fossils......
liver fluke, any of certain parasitic flatworms that invade the liver of the host animal. See...
lizard beetle, (family Languriidae), any of some 400 species of long, narrow beetles (insect order Coleoptera),......
lobed comb jelly, any of several gelatinous, transparent marine invertebrates of the order Lobata (phylum Ctenophora).......
lobopod, collective name for two phyla of animals: Onychophora and Tardigrada. Phyla Onychophora and Tardigrada......
lobster, any of numerous marine crustaceans (phylum Arthropoda, order Decapoda) constituting the families Homaridae......
locust, (family Acrididae), any of a group of insects (order Orthoptera) that are distributed worldwide, the common......
long-horned beetle, (family Cerambycidae), any of about 25,000 species of beetles (insect order Coleoptera) whose......
lophophorate, any of three phyla of aquatic invertebrate animals that possess a lophophore, a fan of ciliated tentacles......
Lophophyllum, extinct genus of solitary marine corals found as fossils especially characteristic of the Late Carboniferous......
Lophospira, genus of extinct gastropods (snails) found as fossils in marine rocks of Ordovician to Devonian age......
louse, (order Phthiraptera), any of a group of small wingless parasitic insects divisible into two main groups:......
Loxonema, genus of extinct gastropods (snails) found as fossils in rocks of Ordovician to Early Carboniferous age......
lugworm, (genus Arenicola), any of several marine worms (class Polychaeta, phylum Annelida) that burrow deep into......
luna moth, (Actias luna), species of saturniid moth of eastern North America. Luna moths are pale green and have......
lungworm, any of the parasitic worms of the superfamily Metastrongyloidea (phylum Nematoda) that infest the lungs......
lygaeid bug, (family Lygaeidae), any of a group of insects in the true bug order, Heteroptera, that includes many......
lynnhaven, edible variety of oyster...
lynx spider, (family Oxyopidae), any of several groups of active spiders (order Araneida) that do not build a nest......
Maclurites, extinct genus of Ordovician gastropods (snails) found as fossils and useful for stratigraphic correlations......
macroinvertebrate, any animal lacking a backbone and large enough to see without the aid of a microscope. Macroinvertebrates......
malacostracan, any member of the more than 29,000 species of the class Malacostraca (subphylum Crustacea, phylum......
mantid, (family Mantidae), any of approximately 2,000 species of large, slow-moving insects that are characterized......
mantis shrimp, any member of the marine crustacean order Stomatopoda, especially members of the genus Squilla.......
mantispid, (family Mantispidae), any of a group of insects in the order Neuroptera, the adults of which bear a......
marennes, popular edible variety of oyster...
marsh treader, any insect of the family Hydrometridae (order Heteroptera), so named because of its slow, deliberate......
mason bee, (genus Osmia), genus of more than 350 species of solitary bees mostly native to the Northern Hemisphere......
mayfly, (order Ephemeroptera), any member of a group of insects known for their extremely short life spans and......