Importance
E.O. Wilson
If human beings were not so
impressed by size alone, they would
consider an ant more wonderful than
a rhinoceros.
Basics
Aquatic vs. Terrestrial
Arboreal, aerial
Anatomical Definitions
Hemolymph, exoskeleton, hydrostatic
skeleton
Reproductive terms
Dioecious, hermaphroditic,
parthenogenesis
Considerations in Aquatic
Care
Considerations in Terrestrial
Care
Phylogeny
Porifera Sponges
Primarily Marine;
sessile
Water requirements
dependent on species
Unique feeding
system; tiny pores;
water flow necessary
Reproduce by both
sexual and asexual
means
Phylogeny
Cnidaria
Anemones
Jellyfish
Radial symmetry,Hydrostatic
skeleton, Dimorphic
development
Can sting!
Coral
Anemones
Marine
Need excellent water condition
Most capture animal prey; zooanthellae
Variable but specific temperature
requirements dependent upon species
Asexual reproduction
Interspecific Aggression
Jellyfish
Marine
Water flow patterns
Predators have stingers!
Sexual reproduction
Lots of species variability
Coral
Marine
Water Quality Important!
Zooxanthellae; Most capture animal
prey
Sexual & Asexual Reproduction
Can exhibit contact inhibition and
interspecific aggression in the tank
Hermatypic vs Ahermatypic
Phylogeny
Echinoderms
Marine
Water quality important- toxicity
problems
Diet is largely dependent on species
Asexual & sexual reproduction
dependent on species
Water vascular system locomotion,
gripping, feeding
http://www.studentreader.com/files/purplestarfishonrocks.jp
Phylogeny
Sea Squirts
Sessile, marine
Environmental
management
based on species
Herbivorous diet
Sexual or Asexual
reproduction
90% of all
urochordates
http://www.lancashiremcs.org.uk/gallery/pics/seasquirt.jpg
Gastropods
http://jrscience.wcp.muohio.edu/photos/SeagrassMol
luscs.jpeg
Cephalopods
Marine Aquatic
Varied diet
Active hunters
Tank Management
Dioecious
http://www.aquariumofpacific.org/images/olc/nautilusj.baecker
_berlin_zoo_aquarium_pd600.jpg
Phylogeny
Pogonophora &
Vestimentifera
Deep sea dwelling worms!
Often grouped together
www.ucmp.berkeley.edu
www.nsf.gov
Phylogeny
Annelids
Aquatic and terrestrial
Varied diet and feeding strategies
Environmental requirements
dependent upon species
Sexual reproduction; dioecious
Biomedical & ecological importance
http://www.education.umd.edu/blt/pic/Anneli
ds.jpg
Phylogeny
Rotifers
Most freshwater but some
marine and terrestrial
Omnivores
Water Management
Parthenogenic or dioecious
Phylogeny
Flatworms (Turbellarians)
Mostly Aquatic
Varied diet
Commensal and parasitic
Tank Management
Varied reproduction
http://www.dhadm.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/flatworm02.jpg
Nematodes
http://soils.usda.gov/sqi/concepts/soil_biology/images/large_tode
s_LR.jpg
Phylogeny
Tardigrades
Marine, freshwater
& terrestrial
Water bears
Cryptobiosis
http://www.uea.ac.uk/~b444219/images/TNWP_Echiniscus
%20madonnae%20(SEM).jpg
Phylogeny
Onychophora
Tropical, terrestrial
Velvet worms or walking worms
Prey on smaller arthropods
Phylogeny
Crustaceans
www.britannica.com/eb/art/print?id=104965
Phylogeny
Insects
Predominantly terrestrial
Varied Diet
Environmental Management
Reproduction
Social Systems
Economical & Ecological
Importance
Phylogeny
Myriapods
Terrestrial
Diet dependent on species
Well defined environmental
requirements
Dieocious; some parthenogenic
Myriapods
Millipedes
Mostly herbivorous
Two pairs per body
segment
Non-aggressive;
slow
Easy to handle
http://www.garden-city.org/zoo/animalinfo/images/milipede_76pic.jpg
Centipedes
Mostly carnivorous
One pair of legs per body
segment
Aggressive; fast!
Extremely hard to
handle; venomous
http://cordially.narod.ru/album/insect/images/homecentipede.jpg
Millipedes
Substrate: 8-10cm of soil with
3-4cm of leaf litter on top
Temperature
Humidity
Diet: leaf litter, fruits & vegetables
Reproduction
Centipedes
Phylogeny
Horseshoe Crabs
Marine, Aquatic
Captive diet
Various habitats
Dieocious
Limulus amebocyte lysate (LAL)
extracted from hemolymphPharmaceutical use
http://io.uwinnipeg.ca/~simmons/16cm05/1116/33-28HorseshoeCrabs.jpg
Phylogeny
SPIDERS!
Arachnids
Scorpions
Terrestrial
Carnivorous
Environment:
mostly desert
Sexual reproduction
Spiders
Terrestrial Spiders
Aquatic Spiders
Natural environment
Diet
Water Quality
Underwater air bells
Silk
Resources
Lewbart, Gregory (ed.). 2006.
Invertebrate Medicine.Blackwell
Publishing, Ames, Iowa.
Frye, Fredric L. 1992. Captive
Invertebrates. Krieger
Publishing Company, Malabar,
Florida.
Pechenik, Jan A. 2000. Biology
of the Invertebrates. McGrawHill. [5th ed is 2005.]