Discover Invertebrates, the Most Numerous Group of Animals on Earth
Invertebrates — spiders, snails, insects, octopodes and more — are the largest group of animals on the planet. Divided into 8 distinct phyla, this group of animals has significant impacts on agriculture, human health, and even housing.
Invertebrates give us a window into the development of life, from the simplest life forms (e.g. tardigrades, or water bears) to some of the most beautiful (e.g. Odonata, the dragon- and damselflies). Develop an appreciation for these wonders, large and small.
Course Duration: 100 hours
Course Content
This course has nine lessons.
- Scope and Nature of Invertebrate Animals
- Introduction
- Significance to humans
- Comparative studies: invertebrate animals
- Important terminology
- Overview of Invertebrate Phyla
- Microscopic phyla" Tardigrada, Kinorhyncha, Loricifera, Placozoa
- Worms: Acanthocephala, Annelida, Hemichordata, etc.
- Corals and relatives: Cnidaria, Ctenophora, Ectoprocta, Porifera
- Echinoderms and Molluscs: Echinodermata, Mollusca, Brachiopoda
- Complex Invertebrates: Arthropoda
- Microscopic Animals
- Protozoa or Animalia
- Phylum Nematoda
- Mites
- Phylum Tardigrada
- Adaptability and Survival
- Anhydrobiosis
- Cysts
- Phylum Kinorhycha
- Phylum Loricifera
- Phylum Placozoa
- Worms & Worm Like Animals
- True worms vs worm-like organisms
- Worm evolution
- Bilateral symmetry
- Cephalisation
- Body organisation
- Characteristics and systems showing complexity
- Phylum Platyhelminthes (Flatworms)
- Free living flatworms
- Parasitic flatworms
- Significance to Humans: Liver fluke, blood flukes, tapeworms
- Beef tapeworm
- Phylum Nematoda (Roundworms)
- Phylum Annelida (Segmented Worms)
- Other Worm Like Animals: Acorn worms, ribbon worms, Spiny headed worms, etc.
- Coelomate Worms
- Sponges, Corals, Anemones, Jellyfish
- Introduction
- Phylum Cnidaria
- Hydrozoa
- Scyphozoa
- Cubozoa
- Anthozoa
- Cnidaria and Humans
- Phylum Ctenophora
- Phylum Porifera: Location, Internal & External Structures, Reproduction, Toxicity
- Classes within Porifera
- Finding food
- Molluscs and Echinoderms
- Phylum Echinodermata
- Crinoidea: Sea Lilies and Feather Stars
- Ophiuroidea: Brittle stars, Basket Stars
- Asteroidea: Sea stars or Starfish
- Case Study: Crown of Thorns Starfish
- Echinoidea: Sea urchins, Heart urchins, Sea dollars
- Chass Holothuroidea: Sea Cucumbers
- Phylum Mollusca: general characteristics and types
- Arthropods 1
- Classification into Arachnida, Crustacea, Myriapoda and Insecta (insects)
- Origin
- Terminology
- Characteristic body parts
- Ecdysis
- Digestion, Respiration, reproduction and other systems
- Phylum Arthropoda
- Chelicerata (Chelicerates)
- Arachnida (Scorpions, Spiders, Mites and Ticks)
- Scorpiones (Scorpions)
- Araneae (Spiders)
- Acari (Mites and Ticks)
- Opiliones (Daddy Long-Legs)
- Merostomata (Horseshoe crabs)
- Pycnogonida (Sea spiders)
- Arthropods 2
- Terminology
- Crustacea (Crustaceans)
- Class Malacostraca: Crayfish, Crabs, Shrimp etc
- Branchiopoda: Fairy shrimp, Water fleas
- Cephalocardia
- Remipedia
- Maxilopoda
- Sessile Crustaceans
- Sub Phylum Uniramia: millipedes, centipedes and insects
- Insects 1
- Origin of insects: winged vs non-winged
- Class Entogantha: Collembola, Diplura, Protura
- Class Insecta
- Insect features
- Mouthparts
- Insect classification into 29 orders
- Specialised organs
- Reproduction
- Lifecycle
- Senses: vision, comminication
- Odonata: Dragonflies and Damselflies
- Mantodea: Mantises
- Orthoptera: Grasshoppers, Crickets, Katydids
- Insects 2
- Significance to man
- Clean air and water
- Pollination by insects
- Edible insects
- Case Study: Grasshoppers save lives
- Order Diptera: Mosquitos and Flies
- Order Hymentoptera: Bees, wasps, ants, sawflies
- Order Coleoptera: Beetles, weevils
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