Insects & Other Invertebrates, ODO-RHY
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.
Insects & Other Invertebrates Encyclopedia Articles By Title
Odonata, insect order comprising the dragonflies (suborder Anisoptera) and the damselflies (suborder Zygoptera).......
oedemerid beetle, (family Oedemeridae), any of approximately 1,500 species of beetles (insect order Coleoptera)......
ogre-faced spider, (family Deinopidae), small family of spiders so named for the fact that one of their pairs of......
Olenellus, genus of trilobites (extinct arthropods) common in but restricted to Early Cambrian rocks (542 million......
olethreutid moth, (subfamily Olethreutinae), any of a group of moths in the family Tortricidae (order Lepidoptera)......
oligochaete, any worm of the subclass Oligochaeta (class Clitellata, phylum Annelida). About 3,500 living species......
olive shell, any of the marine snails that constitute the family Olividae (subclass Prosobranchia of the class......
opisthobranch, any marine gastropod of the approximately 2,000 species of the subclass Opisthobranchia. These gastropods,......
opossum shrimp, any member of the crustacean order Mysidacea. Most of the nearly 1,000 known species live in the......
orange-tip butterfly, (genus Anthocharis), any of a group of butterflies in the subfamily Pierinae (family Pieridae,......
orb weaver, any spider of the family Araneidae (Argiopidae or Epeiridae) of the order Araneida, a large and widely......
organ-pipe coral, (genus Tubipora), any of a genus of marine animals of the class Anthozoa (phylum Cnidaria). The......
orthonectid, any of a class (Orthonectida) of rare wormlike parasites of various marine invertebrates, including......
Orthoptera, (order Orthoptera), order of more than 20,000 insects that comprises the grasshoppers, locusts, crickets,......
owlet moth, (family Noctuidae), large worldwide group of more than 20,000 species of triangular, stout-bodied nocturnal......
owlfly, (family Ascalaphidae), any of a group of insects (order Neuroptera) that are frequently mistaken for dragonflies......
oyster, any member of the families Ostreidae (true oysters) or Aviculidae (pearl oysters), bivalve mollusks found......
oystershell scale, (Lepidosaphes ulmi), a species of insect in the armoured scale family, Diaspididae (order Homoptera),......
painted lady, (Vanessa cardui), species of migratory brush-footed butterfly that has broad wings (span about 4......
palolo worm, any of various segmented marine worms of the families Eunicidae and Nereidae (class Polychaeta, phylum......
Paradoxides, genus of trilobites (an extinct group of arthropods) found as fossils in Middle Cambrian rocks of......
parchment worm, (genus Chaetopterus), any of several species of segmented worms of the class Polychaeta (phylum......
parnassian butterfly, any member of the insect subfamily Parnassiinae of the cosmopolitan family Papilionidae (order......
pauropod, any member of the class Pauropoda (phylum Arthropoda), a group of small, terrestrial invertebrates that......
pea crab, any member of a genus (Pinnotheres) of crabs (order Decapoda) living in the mantle cavity of certain......
peacock spider, (genus Maratus), genus of nearly 100 species of small, predominantly Australian jumping spiders......
peacock worm, (Sabella), any of a genus of segmented marine worms of the class Polychaeta (phylum Annelida). This......
peanut worm, any member of the invertebrate phylum Sipuncula, a group of unsegmented marine worms. The head bears......
pelican spider, (family Archaeidae), ancient family of nearly 30 species and five genera of spiders found in Madagascar,......
pentastomid, any of about 100 species of tiny parasites belonging to the Pentastomida, now generally considered......
Pentremites, extinct genus of stemmed, immobile echinoderms (forms related to the starfish) abundant as marine......
peppered moth, (Biston betularia), species of European moth in the family Geometridae (order Lepidoptera) that......
periodical cicada, (genus Magicicada), genus of seven species of cicadas known for their unusual highly synchronized......
periwinkle, in zoology, any small marine snail belonging to the family Littorinidae (class Gastropoda, phylum Mollusca).......
Phacops, genus of trilobites (an extinct group of aquatic arthropods) found as fossils in Silurian and Devonian......
Phillipsia, genus of trilobites (an extinct group of aquatic arthropods) uncommonly found as fossils in Carboniferous......
Phyllograptus, genus of graptolites, an extinct group of small colonial marine animals related to the primitive......
phylloxera, Any of numerous, chiefly North American, insect species (genus Phylloxera, order Homoptera), many of......
piddock, any of the marine bivalve mollusks of the family Pholadidae (Adesmoidea). Worldwide in distribution, they......
pill bug, any of the terrestrial crustaceans of the families Armadillididae and Armadillidae (order Isopoda). When......
pine weevil, any wood-boring beetle of the insect family Curculionidae (order Coleoptera). Their most unusual physical......
pinworm, worm belonging to the family Oxyuridae in the order Ascaridida (phylum Nematoda). Pinworms are common......
pirate spider, (family Mimetidae), any of around 100 species of spiders noted for their habit of eating other spiders.......
planarian, (class Turbellaria), any of a group of widely distributed, mostly free-living flatworms of the class......
plant bug, any member of two families of the insect order Heteroptera. The family Lygaeidae (see lygaeid bug) contains......
plant hopper, any member of several insect families of the order Homoptera, easily recognized because of the hollow,......
planula, free-swimming or crawling larval type common in many species of the phylum Cnidaria (e.g., jellyfish,......
plasterer bee, (family Colletidae), large family of bees with more than 2,500 species found worldwide. Their common......
Platyceras, genus of extinct gastropods (snails) that occurs as fossils in rocks of Silurian to Permian age (about......
Platycrinites, genus of extinct crinoids, or sea lilies, especially characteristic as fossils of Early Carboniferous......
Platystrophia, genus of extinct brachiopods (lamp shells) occurring as fossils in marine rocks of the Middle Ordovician......
pleasing fungus beetle, (family Erotylidae), any of more than 3,500 species of widely distributed, mostly tropical......
Plectoceras, extinct genus of small marine nautiloid cephalopods, forms related to the modern pearly nautilus,......
plum curculio, (Conotrachelus nenuphar), North American insect pest of the family Curculionidae (order Coleoptera);......
plume moth, (family Pterophoridae), any of about 1,000 species of delicate moths (order Lepidoptera) that are named......
polychaete, any worm of the class Polychaeta (phylum Annelida). About 8,000 living species are known. Polychaetes,......
polyp, in zoology, one of two principal body forms occurring in members of the animal phylum Cnidaria. The polyp......
Portuguese man-of-war, (Physalia physalis), species of jellylike marine animals of the order Siphonophora (class......
potato beetle, (Lema daturaphila), species of leaf beetle that was one of the most destructive potato pests until......
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......
purseweb spider, (family Atypidae), family of about 50 species and three genera of stout-bodied burrowing spiders.......
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, (family Gryllacrididae), any of a family of 600 species insects (order Orthoptera) that possess......
ravine trapdoor spider, (Cyclocosmia truncata), species of rare and distinctively shaped North American spider.......
ray spider, (family Theridiosomatidae), any of a family of around 175 species of spiders known for their conelike......
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 black widow spider that is native to Australia, the females of which......
regal moth, (subfamily Ceratocampinae), any of a group of large and brightly colored saturniid moths that occur......
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......
Rhodnius prolixus, parasitic species of South American assassin bug that is one of the primary vectors of the protozoan......
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......