Invertebrate Biology

noun a small marine crustacean with a shell that attaches itself to rocks, ship bottoms, and other objects

• Barnacles are small marine crustaceans that attach themselves to hard surfaces such as rocks or the hulls of ships.
• I found a bunch of barnacles stuck to the bottom of the boat.
• That old car is covered in barnacles, it's definitely seen better days.
• The barnacles of bureaucracy were slowing down the progress of the project.

noun a small eight-legged creature that spins webs to catch insects for food

• The spider spun an intricate web to catch its prey.
• I saw a huge spider in the basement last night.
• That spider is creepy AF.
• Her ability to weave through the complexities of the project was like a spider navigating its web.

noun a large, hairy spider belonging to the family Theraphosidae, often found in tropical and subtropical regions

• The tarantula is a large, hairy spider found in tropical and subtropical regions.
• I saw a huge tarantula crawling across the floor last night.
• That tarantula is freakin' huge!
• Her fear of public speaking felt like a tarantula crawling up her spine.

noun a free-swimming, ciliated larva of a cnidarian, typically following the polyp stage in the life cycle

• The planula is the larval form of a cnidarian, such as a jellyfish.
• Did you know that a planula is like a baby jellyfish?
• That little planula dude looks like a tiny alien!
• The planula represents the beginning of a new life cycle in the ocean.

noun a type of marine animal belonging to the phylum Cnidaria, which includes jellyfish and sea anemones

• The acaleph is a type of marine animal that includes jellyfish and sea anemones.
• I saw a cool acaleph while snorkeling in the ocean.
• Check out that funky acaleph floating in the water!
• Her movements were as graceful as an acaleph drifting in the current.

• The Acaridea is a subclass of arachnids that includes mites and ticks.
• I learned about Acaridea in my biology class, they're like tiny spiders.
• Those Acaridea critters are everywhere in the forest, man.
• The Acaridea infestation in the house was a symbol of neglect and decay.

noun a type of large tropical land snail, specifically the genus Achatina

• The achatina is a species of large land snail found in Africa.
• I saw a huge achatina crawling in the garden yesterday.
• Check out that massive achatina, it's so cool!
• Her slow progress on the project was likened to the pace of an achatina.

adjective having no body cavity between the gut and outer body wall

• The acoelomous organisms lack a body cavity between the gut and body wall.
• The acoelomous creatures don't have a space inside their bodies like other animals do.
• Those acoelomous critters are just weird, man.
• Living acoelomously, without any empty spaces in your life, can be suffocating.

noun a taxonomic group that includes sea anemones and corals, characterized by having stinging cells called nematocysts

• The actinoidea are a subclass of the class Anthozoa, consisting of sea anemones and corals.
• I saw some cool actinoidea at the aquarium today.
• Those actinoidea creatures are really weird looking!
• The actinoidea sway gently in the ocean currents, like dancers in a ballet.

noun a taxonomic suborder of beetles characterized by having a predaceous habit

• The Adephaga is a suborder of beetles known for their predatory habits.
• I learned about the Adephaga beetles in my biology class.
• Those Adephaga bugs are pretty cool, they eat other insects.
• The Adephaga beetles are like the hunters of the insect world, always on the prowl for their next meal.