Here are some examples of invertebrates:
* Insects: flies, beetles, ants, butterflies, etc.
* Spiders: including scorpions and ticks.
* Worms: earthworms, roundworms, flatworms.
* Mollusks: snails, slugs, clams, oysters, squids, octopuses.
* Crustaceans: crabs, lobsters, shrimp, barnacles.
* Echinoderms: starfish, sea urchins, sea cucumbers.
* Jellyfish: and other cnidarians.
How do invertebrates support themselves?
Instead of a rigid internal skeleton, invertebrates use a variety of methods for support:
* Exoskeletons: Hard, outer shells made of chitin (like insects and crustaceans).
* Hydrostatic skeletons: Using internal fluid pressure (like earthworms and jellyfish).
* No skeleton: Some, like jellyfish, have a very simple body structure and rely on water pressure for support.
Invertebrates are incredibly important to our ecosystem, playing roles in pollination, decomposition, and food webs. They are also a source of food for many other animals.