无脊椎动物(英文).pdf

n i e w h c s u r B . R . J y s e t r u o C Invertebrates Overview Invertebrates are impres- many other invertebrates within various ecosys- by sive in abundance and tems. Science Editor diversity, living on land and in water and air. Each individual invertebrate is a highly com- Many species are borne to distant places on air plex, specialized animal. Some molt (change or William T. Mason, Jr. and water currents, and via modern transporta- metamorphose) into several distinct life stages. tion. For example, some insects transform from egg National Biological Service Of the millions of species of animals world- to larva, then to pupa, and finally emerge as a wide, about 90% are invertebrates, that is, ani- terrestrial winged adult. Some aquatic inverte- Southeastern Biological mals without backbones (Opler, Powell, this brates do not have pupal stages, and the larvae Science Center se