Guess the Invertebrate
From the Cover of the 25th Anniversary Issue of Invertebrate Biology
(download cover and editorial)
Below are marine invertebrates from 24 classes/subclasses from 14 phyla/subphyla.
How many can you identify to Phylum? to Class? to Family?
Roughly how big is each one?
Hover or tap on an image to view the answers.**
NAME: Pelagic blue button (Porpita porpita; Cnidaria, Hydrozoa, Porpitidae)
SIZE: 2 cm
NAME: Leopard sea anemones (Nemanthus sp.?; Cnidaria, Anthozoa, Nemanthidae)
SIZE: 1 cm
NAME: Lancelet (Branchiostoma sp.; Chordata, Cephalochordata, Branchiostomatidae)
SIZE: 3 cm
NAME: Inarticulate brachiopod (Brachiopoda, Linguliformea)
SIZE: 4 cm with peduncle
NAME: Cumacean
(Eocuma sp.?; Arthropoda, Malacostraca, Peracarida, Cumacea, Bodotriidae)
SIZE: 0.7 cm
NAME: Non-snapping alpheid shrimp (Coronalpheus natator; Arthropoda, Malacostraca, Decapoda, Caridea, Alpheidae)
SIZE: 2 cm
NAME: Trochid snail (Calliostoma cf. javanicum; Mollusca, Gastropoda, Vetigastropoda, Calliostomatidae)
SIZE: 3 cm
NAME: Ribbon worm
(Nemertea, Hoplonemertea, Monostilifera)
SIZE: Extended length >5 cm
NAME: Porcelain crab
(Petrolisthes donadio; Arthropoda, Malacostraca, Decapoda, Anomura, Porcellanidae)
SIZE: 1.5 cm carapace width
NAME: Fire worm (Hermodice carunculate; Annelida, Errantia, Amphinomidae)
SIZE: 10 cm
NAME: Hairy crab
(Pilumnus vespertilio; Arthropoda, Malacostraca, Decapoda, Brachyura, Pilumnidae)
SIZE: 3 cm
NAME: Jewel-beetle amphipod (Thamneus cf. rostratus; Arthropoda, Malacostraca, Amphipoda, Hyperiidea, Brachyscelidae)
SIZE: 1 cm
NAME: Doridoid sea slug (Halgerda wasinensis; Mollusca, Gastropoda, Heterobranchia, Discodorididae)
SIZE: 3 cm
NAME: Feather duster worm (Branchiomma sp.; Annelida, Sedentaria, Sabellidae)
SIZE: 7 cm
NAME: Acorn worm
(Saccoglossus bromophenolosus; Hemichordata, Enteropneusta, Harrimaniidae)
SIZE: 6 cm
NAME: Planktonic juvenile of a tube-dwelling anemone
(Cnidaria; Anthozoa; Ceriantharia)
SIZE: 0.5 cm
NAME: Polyclad flatworm (Pseudoceros bifurcus; Platyhelminthes, Rhabditophora, Polycladida, Pseudocerotidae)
SIZE: 3 cm
NAME: Sea apple sea cucumber (Pseudocolochirus violaceus; Echinodermata, Holothuroidea, Cucumariidae)
SIZE: 15 cm
NAME: Frog crab
(Raninoides benedicti; Arthropoda, Malacostraca, Decapoda, Brachyura, Raninidae)
SIZE: 5 cm
NAME: Orange gum drop sea slug (Berthellina ilisima; Mollusca, Gastropoda, Heterobranchia, Pleurobranchida, Pleurobranchidae)
SIZE: 3 cm
NAME: Segmented worm rolled in a spiral
(Nereis cf. riisei; Annelida, Polychaeta, Nereididae)
SIZE: 4 cm
NAME: Galeommatid clam (Scintilla sp.?; Mollusca, Bivalvia, Euheterodonta, Galeommatidae)
SIZE: 1 cm
NAME: Electric brittle-star (Ophiothrix sp.; Echinodermata, Ophiuroidea, Ophiotrichidae)
SIZE: Disc diam.1 cm
NAME: Male ovigerous
sea spider (Arthropoda, Chelicerata, Pycnogonida)
SIZE: <1 cm trunk length
NAME: Heart urchin
(Lovenia sp.; Echinodermata, Echinoidea, Loveniidae)
SIZE: 5 cm
NAME: Anthurid isopod (Arthropoda, Malacostraca, Isopoda, Anthuridae)
SIZE: 1 cm
NAME: Chilean mole crab,
face view (Emerita cf. analoga; Arthropoda, Malacostraca, Decapoda, Anomura, Hippidae)
SIZE: 2 cm
NAME: Mantis shrimp,
face view (Squilla aculeata; Arthropoda, Malacostraca, Stomatopoda, Squillidae)
SIZE: 10 cm
NAME: Boxer shrimp (Stenopus scutellatus; Arthropoda, Malacostraca, Decapoda, Stenopodidea, Stenopodidae)
SIZW: 4 cm
NAME: Horseshoe crab (Tachypleus gigas; Arthropoda, Chelicerata, Merostomata, Limulidae)
SIZE: 20 cm
NAME: Innkeeper worm (Ochetostoma sp.; Annelida, “Echiura”, Thalassematidae)
SIZE: 7 cm
These photos are from Dr. Arthur Anker's galleries of gorgeous invertebrate images:
Marine Invertebrates, Iconography for Invertebrate Zoology Course, Scientific Photography.
Classification according to WoRMS (Jan. 2021, unless taxon name is in quotes).
Sizes are approximate (maximum dimensions unless noted otherwise).
Collage & web page by A. Richard Palmer (send errors or corrections here).
​
** Hover & tap functions work only on desktops, laptops or tablets, not mobile phones.