More than 95% of the Earth's animal species are invertebrates (animals without backbones). They can be found in most habitats. Many are found only in the sea and some groups living on the land are found world-wide. There are thought to be between 3 million and 15 million species in the world (47 000 species of vertebrates).
Marine Invertebrates are those animals which lack a notochord, a characteristic of vertebrates. Therefore, in order to protect themselves, they usually have a shell or a hard exoskeleton, but not always!
There are several distinct groups of invertebrates.
Sponges - Proifera
Jellyfish, Corals & Hydroids - Cnidaria
Comb Jellies - Ctenophora
Clams, Snails, Octopi - Mollusca
Crabs, Shrimp & Lobsters - Copepods - Arthropoda
Sea Stars & Brittle Stars - Echinodermata
Marine Worms - Polychaeta - Vestimentifera
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- Anemone-EpiactisAustraliensis
- AnemoneWaratah-ActiniaTenebrosa
- Ascidian-PyuraGibbosa
- AustrocochleaPorcata
- BrainAscidian
- CartrutShell-DicathaisOrbita
- CombJelly-BolinopsisSp
- Nudibranch-CeratosomaAmoena
- Nudibranch-ChromodorisCollingwoodi
- Nudibranch-ChromodorisLoringi
- Nudibranch-ChromodorisSplendida
- Nudibranch-ChromodorisTinctoria
- Nudibranch-ElysiaSpBlueSpottedElysia
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