Bugs, Mollusks & Other Invertebrates, TOR-ZOR
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
top shell, any marine snail of the family Trochidae (subclass Prosobranchia, class Gastropoda), characterized by......
Tornoceras, extinct genus of cephalopods, forms related to the modern pearly nautilus. Tornoceras is a form that......
tortoise beetle, (subfamily Cassidinae), any member of more than 3,000 beetle species that resemble a turtle because......
trapdoor spider, any of numerous species of large bodied, burrowing spiders found across several taxonomic families.......
treehopper, (family Membracidae), any of approximately 3,200 species of insects (order Homoptera) that are easily......
Trepostomata, extinct order of bryozoans (moss animals) found as fossils in marine rocks of Ordovician to Triassic......
Trichinella spiralis, parasitic worm of the phylum Nematoda that causes trichinosis, a serious disease in humans......
Trigonia, genus of mollusks that first appeared during the Jurassic period, which began about 208 million years......
trilobite, any member of a group of extinct fossil arthropods easily recognized by their distinctive three-lobed,......
triton shell, any of several marine snails constituting the family Cymatiidae (subclass Prosobranchia of the class......
Trochonema, genus of extinct gastropods (snails) found as fossils in rocks dating from the Ordovician Period to......
trochophore, small, translucent, free-swimming larva characteristic of marine annelids and most groups of mollusks.......
Tropidoleptus, genus of extinct brachiopods (lamp shells) found as fossils only in marine rocks of the Devonian......
Tropites, genus of extinct cephalopods (animals similar to the modern squid and octopus but with an external shell)......
trumpet, in zoology, any of certain snail species, including members of the conch (q.v.) and triton groups (see......
tube anemone, (genus Cerianthus), any of a group of invertebrate marine animals of the class Anthozoa (phylum Cnidaria)......
tube worm, any of a number of tube-dwelling marine worms belonging to the annelid class Polychaeta (see polychaete;......
tumbling flower beetle, (family Mordellidae), any of about 1,500 species of beetles (insect order Coleoptera) named......
tunicate, any member of the subphylum Tunicata (Urochordata) of the phylum Chordata. Small marine animals, they......
turban shell, any marine snail of the family Turbinidae (subclass Prosobranchia of the class Gastropoda) that has......
turret spider, (Atypoides riversi), species of small burrowing spider endemic to California, one of the best-known......
turritellid, (genus Turritella), any of several species of gastropods (snails) abundantly represented in fossil......
tusk shell, any of several marine mollusks of the class Scaphopoda. There are four genera of tusk shells (Dentalium......
tussock moth, (family Lymantriidae), any of a group of moths (order Lepidoptera), the common name for which is......
What’s slimy and spineless and looking to parasitize you? (They’re not running for office, if that narrows it down.)......
unique-headed bug, (family Enicocephalidae), any of about 130 species of bugs (order Heteroptera) that have an......
urchin, any of several marine invertebrates of the class Echinoidea (phylum Echinodermata), including the cake......
velvet ant, (family Mutillidae), any of a group of about 3,000 species of wasps that are named for their fuzzy,......
velvet crab, any of certain species in the swimming crab (q.v.)...
velvet water bug, (family Hebridae), any of approximately 120 species of insects in the true bug order, Heteroptera,......
velvet worm, (phylum Onychophora), any of about 70 wormlike species of ancient, terrestrial invertebrates with......
velvety shore bug, any insect of the family Ochteridae (order Heteroptera), which numbers about 25 species. These......
Venericardia, genus of pelecypods (clams) abundant during the Eocene Epoch (the Eocene Epoch began 57.8 million......
Venus comb, marine snail, a species of murex...
Venus’s flower basket, any of several sponges of the genus Euplectella, especially E. aspergillum (class Hexactinellida,......
Venus’s girdle, (Cestum veneris) ribbon-shaped comb jelly of the order Cestida (phylum Ctenophora) found in the......
vinegarroon, species of whip scorpion...
volute, any marine snail of the family Volutidae (subclass Prosobranchia of the class Gastropoda). Most species......
walking stick, (order Phasmatodea, or Phasmida), any of about 3,000 species of slow-moving insects that are green......
wandering spider, (family Ctenidae), family of more than 600 species and nearly 50 genera of large, nocturnal spiders......
wasp, any member of a large group of insects in the order Hymenoptera, suborder Apocrita, some of which are stinging.......
water beetle, any of several thousand species of aquatic beetles (order Coleoptera), including members of the families......
water boatman, (family Corixidae), any of more than 300 species of insects in the true bug order, Heteroptera,......
water flea, any member of the crustacean order Anomopoda (class Branchiopoda), a large group containing about 450......
water scavenger beetle, any of the approximately 3,200 species of the predominately aquatic insect superfamily......
water scorpion, any of the approximately 150 species of aquatic invertebrates of the family Nepidae (order Hemiptera).......
water spider, (Argyroneta aquatica), species of aquatic spider that is the only spider known to spend nearly its......
water strider, any insect of the family Gerridae (order Heteroptera), which numbers about 350 species. Water striders,......
water treader, any insect of the approximately 30 species of the family Mesoveliidae (order Heteroptera). These......
weaver ant, (genus Oecophylla), genus of two species of arboreal ants easily recognized by their intricate nests......
webspinner, (order Embioptera), any of about 170 species of insects that are delicate, are yellow or brown in colour,......
weevil, (family Curculionidae), true weevil of the insect order Coleoptera (beetles and weevils). Curculionidae......
wentletrap, any marine snail of the family Epitoniidae (subclass Prosobranchia of the class Gastropoda), in which......
western honeybee, (Apis mellifera), economically important species of honeybee valued for its pollination services......
whale louse, (family Cyamidae), any of a small group of highly specialized peracaridan crustaceans (order Amphipoda)......
There are approximately 10,000 species of ants on Earth, with a wide range of diets and behaviors among them. Many......
There are about 20,000 species of bees in the world, and they are probably the most important insect pollinators.......
Ask a summertime picnicker what their biggest annoyance is, and the answer will likely be “bees.” Landing on uncovered......
Grasshoppers and crickets can look pretty similar at first glance, especially given their enormous hind legs, which......
In short: hornets are wasps, but not all wasps are hornets. Wasps are a diverse group of insects with over 100,000......
Most people are generally familiar with moths and butterflies. You might recognize a beautiful butterfly in a garden......
whelk, any marine snail of the family Buccinidae (subclass Prosobranchia of the class Gastropoda), or a snail having......
Have you ever seen a honeybee in the winter? Most people in temperate climates probably have not. Without blankets,......
whip scorpion, (order Uropygi, sometimes Thelyphonida), any of approximately 105 species of the arthropod class......
whipworm, any of certain worms of the genus Trichuris, phylum Nematoda, especially T. trichiura, that are parasitic......
whirligig beetle, (family Gyrinidae), any of about 700 species of beetles (insect order Coleoptera) that are widespread......
white butterfly, (subfamily Pierinae), any of a group of butterflies in the family Pieridae (order Lepidoptera)......
whitefly, any sap-sucking member of the insect family Aleyrodidae (order Homoptera). The nymphs, resembling scale......
Moths do not get the adoration of their butterfly counterparts, but their beauty is no less dazzling. Many people......
Bees are crucial to our world for several reasons, primarily due to their role as pollinators. The approximately......
Ah, summer. In many parts of the world, summer is the time of year when the cicadas are buzzing so loudly that......
Most of what we hear as buzzing from bees is due to the rapid beating of their tiny wings. Some bees beat their......
Male crickets chirp primarily to attract mates and establish territory. Their musical chirping sounds are produced......
You already know why cicadas are so unbelievably noisy. But why do some of them appear aboveground only every 17......
window-winged moth, (family Thyrididae), any of a group of tropical moths (order Lepidoptera) that are generally......
wireworm, any of certain millipede (q.v.)...
wolf spider, (family Lycosidae), large family of more than 2,300 species and 135 genera of spiders named for their......
wood louse, either of two related terrestrial crustaceans, the pill bug (q.v.) and the sow bug...
wood wasp, primitive insect belonging to any of three families in the suborder Symphyta (order Hymenoptera): Xiphydriidae,......
woolly bear, Caterpillar of a tiger moth. The larva of the Isabella tiger moth (Isia isabella), known as the banded......
worm, any of various unrelated invertebrate animals that typically have soft, slender, elongated bodies. Worms......
worm shell, any marine snail of the family Vermetidae (subclass Prosobranchia, class Gastropoda). The shell of......
Worthenia, genus of extinct gastropods (snails) preserved as common fossils in rocks of Devonian to Triassic age......
yucca moth, (genus Tegeticula), any of four species of insects of the Prodoxidae family of moths (order Lepidoptera).......
zebra mussel, a species of tiny mussels (genus Dreissena) that are prominent freshwater pests. They proliferate......
zebra swallowtail butterfly, (Eurytides marcellus), species of butterfly in the family Papilionidae (order Lepidoptera)......
zoanthid, any member of the order Zoanthidea, a group of about 300 species of marine animals of the class Anthozoa......
zorapteran, (order Zoraptera), any of a small group of about 30 species of insects found on every continent except......