Invertebrates - terrestrial and freshwater

Of the world’s c. 1.8 million described species, around 97 percent are invertebrates. Invertebrates were the first animals to evolve on earth, and exhibit a staggering level of diversity, from the relatively simple corals and jellyfish to the socially complex arthropods, such as the honey bee. Besides the lack of a backbone, members of this large, informal group do not have bony skeletons or true jaws. The main threats to terrestrial and freshwater invertebrates are habitat loss, pollution and competition with non-native species.

Explore ARKive for videos and images of endangered invertebrates, and learn about invertebrate conservation, biology and more in our species fact-files.