Bugs, Mollusks & Other Invertebrates, POT-SNA
Some insects are so displeasing to humans that the word bug has come to be used as a verb meaning to bother or annoy. 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
potato beetle, (Lema trilineata), one of the most destructive potato beetles until the advent of the Colorado potato......
powderpost beetle, (subfamily Lyctinae), any of approximately 70 species of beetles (insect order Coleoptera) that......
Prasopora, extinct genus of bryozoans, small colonial animals that formed mosslike or encrusting growths, especially......
prawn, any of certain crustaceans of the shrimp suborder Natantia. See...
predaceous diving beetle, (family Dytiscidae), any of more than 4,000 species of carnivorous, aquatic beetles (insect......
priapulid, (phylum Priapulida), any of some 15 species of predatory, marine, mud-inhabiting, unsegmented worms.......
primitive weevil, (family Brentidae), any of approximately 2,000 species of beetles related to the weevil family......
processionary caterpillar, larval stage characteristic of the small insect family Thaumetopoeidae (order Lepidoptera),......
prominent moth, (family Notodontidae), any of a group of moths (order Lepidoptera) that are characterized by projecting......
prosobranch, any snail of the subclass Prosobranchia, class Gastropoda. Most of these roughly 20,000 snail species......
protochordate, any member of either of two invertebrate subphyla of the phylum Chordata: the Tunicata (sea squirts,......
Protostomia, group of animals—including the arthropods (e.g., insects, crabs), mollusks (clams, snails), annelid......
proturan, any of a group of about 800 species of minute (0.5 to 2 mm [0.02 to 0.08 inch]), pale, wingless, blind,......
psocid, (order Psocoptera), any of a group of about 5,000 species of soft-bodied insects, usually less than 5 mm......
pterobranch, any small marine invertebrate of the class Pterobranchia (phylum Hemichordata). Pterobranchs are found......
pteropod, small marine gastropods of the subclass Opisthobranchia (phylum Mollusca) characterized by a foot modified......
pubic louse, (Phthirus pubis), sucking louse in the human louse family, Pediculidae (suborder Anoplura, order Phthiraptera),......
pulmonate, (subclass Pulmonata), any of various land, freshwater, and marine snails belonging to the class Gastropoda......
purple sail, (genus Velella), any of a genus of floating marine animals usually classified in the order Siphonophora......
pygmy grasshopper, (family Tetrigidae), any of about 1,400 species of insects (order Orthoptera) that are small......
pygmy sand cricket, any member of the orthopteran family Tridactylidae of about 60 species that often inhabits......
pyralid moth, (family Pyralidae or Pyralididae), any of a group of moths in the order Lepidoptera, most members......
quahog, edible species of clam (q.v.), usually referring to the species Mercenaria mercenaria. Small quahogs are......
radula, horny, ribbonlike structure found in the mouths of all mollusks except the bivalves. The radula, part of......
rag worm, any of a group of mostly marine or shore worms of the class Polychaeta (phylum Annelida). A few species......
raspy cricket, any of a group of insects in the subfamily Gryllacridinae (order Orthoptera) that possess features......
ray spider, any spider of the family Theridiosomatidae (order Araneida), known for their conelike webs. Most ray......
razor clam, any of the species of marine bivalve mollusks of the family Solenidae. In England the species of the......
red bug, any insect of the family Pyrrhocoridae (order Heteroptera), which contains more than 300 species. The......
red crab, Pacific crab species closely related to the Dungeness crab...
red spider, any of the plant-feeding mites of the family Tetranychidae (subclass Acari). Red spiders are a common......
redback, (Latrodectus hasselti), species of comb-footed spider (family Theridiidae) that is native to Australia,......
regal moth, (subfamily Citheroniinae), any of a group of moths in the family Saturniidae (order Lepidoptera) that......
Rensselaeria, genus of extinct brachiopods (lamp shells) found as fossils in Lower Devonian marine rocks (387 to......
Resserella, extinct genus of brachiopods (lamp shells) that occurs as fossils in marine rocks of Middle Ordovician......
rhinoceros beetle, (subfamily Dynastinae), any of numerous species of beetles, some of which are among the largest......
rhynchophthirinan, any member of the suborder Rhynchophthirina of the louse order Phthiraptera, consisting of the......
Rhynchotrema, extinct genus of brachiopods, or lamp shells, found as fossils in Middle and Late Ordovician rocks......
Rhynchotreta, extinct genus of brachiopods (lamp shells) commonly found as fossils in Silurian marine rocks (between......
ribbon worm, any member of the invertebrate phylum Nemertea (sometimes called Nemertinea, or Rhynchocoela), which......
rotifer, any of the approximately 2,000 species of microscopic, aquatic invertebrates that constitute the phylum......
rove beetle, (family Staphylinidae), any member of a family of numerous widely distributed insects in the order......
sac spider, (family Clubionidae), any member of a relatively common, widespread family of spiders (order Araneida)......
Sahara desert ant, any of several species of ant in the genus Cataglyphis that dwell in the Sahara, particularly......
San Jose scale, (Quadraspidiotus perniciosus), a species of insect in the armoured scale family, Diaspididae (order......
sand dollar, any of the invertebrate marine animals of the order Clypeastroida (class Echinoidea, phylum Echinodermata)......
sand flea, any of more than 60 terrestrial crustaceans of the family Talitridae (order Amphipoda) that are notable......
sap beetle, (family Nitidulidae), any of at least 2,000 species of beetles (insect order Coleoptera) usually found......
saturniid moth, (family Saturniidae), any of about 1,500 species of moths (order Lepidoptera), some of which spin......
satyr butterfly, (subfamily Satyrinae), any of a group of delicate butterflies in the family Nymphalidae (order......
scale insect, any member of several families of insects (order Homoptera) that have a body covered by a protective......
scale worm, any member of the superfamily Aphroditoidea (class Polychaeta, phylum Annelida), a group of widely......
scallop, any of the marine bivalve mollusks of the family Pectinidae, particularly species of the genus Pecten.......
scampi, (Nephrops norvegicus), edible lobster of the order Decapoda (class Crustacea). It is widespread in the......
Scaphites, extinct genus of cephalopods (animals related to the modern octopus, squid, and nautilus) found as fossils......
scarab beetle, (family Scarabaeidae), any of approximately 30,000 species of beetles (insect order Coleoptera)......
Schistosoma, fluke genus (phylum Platyhelminthes), three members of which are well known for causing the disease......
schizocoelomate, any invertebrate animal that possesses a schizocoel, a coelom (that is, the body cavity lying......
Schizodus, extinct genus of small mollusks found as fossils in rocks from the Devonian to the Permian Period (416......
scorpion, (order Scorpiones or Scorpionida), any of approximately 1,500 elongated arachnid species characterized......
scorpionfly, (order Mecoptera), any of several species of insects characterized by chewing mouthparts at the tip......
scurfy scale, (Chionaspis furfura), a species of insect in the armoured scale family, Diaspididae (order Homoptera),......
Scypha, genus of marine sponges of the class Calcarea (calcareous sponges), characterized by a fingerlike body......
sea anemone, any member of the invertebrate order Actiniaria (class Anthozoa, phylum Cnidaria), soft-bodied, primarily......
sea cucumber, (class Holothuroidea), any of 1,200 species of marine invertebrates that constitute a class within......
sea fan, (genus Gorgonia), any member of a genus of invertebrate marine animals of the suborder Holaxonia (class......
sea gooseberry, either of two cosmopolitan genera of invertebrate marine animals in the phylum Ctenophora: the......
sea hare, any marine gastropod of the family Aplysiidae (subclass Opisthobranchia, phylum Mollusca) that is characterized......
sea lily, any crinoid marine invertebrate animal (class Crinoidea, phylum Echinodermata) in which the adult is......
sea mouse, (Aphrodita), any of a genus of marine worms of the class Polychaeta (phylum Annelida), named for their......
sea pansy, any of certain colonial marine animals of the sea pen (q.v.) group (order Pennatulacea, phylum Cnidaria).......
sea pen, any of the 300 species of the order Pennatulacea, colonial invertebrate marine animals of the class Anthozoa......
sea spider, any of the spiderlike marine animals comprising the class Pycnogonida (also called Pantopoda) of the......
sea star, any marine invertebrate of the class Asteroidea (phylum Echinodermata) having rays, or arms, surrounding......
sea urchin, any of about 950 living species of spiny marine invertebrate animals (class Echinoidea, phylum Echinodermata)......
sea walnut, any member of a common genus (Mnemiopsis) of gelatinous, planktonic marine invertebrates of the order......
sea whip, any of several genera of corals of the order Gorgonacea (phylum Cnidaria), characterized by a long, whiplike......
seed beetle, (subfamily Bruchinae), any of some 1,350 species of beetles (insect order Coleoptera) whose larvae......
sheet-web weaver, (family Linyphiidae), a rather common group of small spiders (order Araneida) numbering about......
shellfish, any aquatic invertebrate animal having a shell and belonging to the phylum Mollusca, the class Crustacea......
shield-backed katydid, (subfamily Tettigoniinae), any of a group of insects (family Tettigoniidae, order Orthoptera)......
shining leaf chafer, any member of the insect subfamily Rutelinae of the scarab family Scarabaeidae (order Coleoptera),......
shipworm, any of the approximately 65 species of marine bivalve mollusks of the family Teredidae (Teredinidae).......
shore bug, any of the more than 200 species of small dark coloured insects with white or yellow markings that constitute......
short-horned grasshopper, (family Acrididae), any of more than 10,000 species of insects (order Orthoptera) that......
shrimp, any of the approximately 2,000 species of the suborder Natantia (order Decapoda of the class Crustacea).......
siliceous sponge, any sponge in which the main skeletal component is silica as opposed to calcium carbonate or......
silk spider, (genus Nephila), any of a genus of the class Arachnida (phylum Arthropoda), so named because of the......
silken fungus beetle, (family Cryptophagidae), any of approximately 800 insect species (insect order Coleoptera)......
silkworm moth, (Bombyx mori), lepidopteran whose caterpillar has been used in silk production (sericulture) for......
silverfish, (Lepisma saccharina), species of quick-moving, slender, flat, wingless insect having three tail bristles......
skeleton shrimp, any of certain marine crustaceans of the family Caprellidae (order Amphipoda), particularly of......
skin beetle, (family Trogidae), any of approximately 300 widely distributed species of beetles in the superfamily......
skipper, (family Hesperiidae), any of the approximately 3,500 species of insects (order Lepidoptera) that occur......
slipper shell, (genus Crepidula), any marine snail belonging to the family Calyptraeidae (subclass Prosobranchia,......
slug, any mollusk of the class Gastropoda in which the shell is reduced to an internal plate or a series of granules......
slug caterpillar moth, (family Limacodidae), any of approximately 1,000 species of insects (order Lepidoptera)......
smaller water strider, (the latter name derives from the fact that the body, widest at the middle or hind legs,......
snail, a gastropod, especially one having an enclosing shell, into which it may retract completely for protection.......
snakefly, (order Raphidiodea or Raphidioptera), any of more than 175 species of insects that are easily recognized......