INVERTEBRATES

Mantises Regularly Catch and Feast On Birds, NBD

We’re talking hummingbirds, not eagles, but still.

Matthew Modoono / Northeastern University

This Rare Shipworm Is Not Safe for Work

"When I took that thing out of the tube, there was a collective gasp among the whole group, along with quite a number of expletives."

Bastique via Wikimedia Commons // CC BY-SA 3.0

Scientists: Jellies Are the Oldest Animals on Earth

There’s evidence to support both sponges and comb jellies' claim to the title, but the latest research, published in the new journal Nature Ecology and Evolution, lands hard in favor of Team Jelly.

NOAA OKEANOS EXPLORER Program, Gulf of Mexico 2014 Expedition via Flickr Creative Commons // CC BY 2.0

Cephalopods Evolve Differently From the Rest of Us, Study Finds

Experts say octopuses, squid, and cuttlefish have been using “an alternative engine” for evolution.

Jurgen Otto via Wikimedia Commons // CC BY-SA 2.0

Spiders Eat Hundreds of Millions of TONS of Bugs Every Year

The next time you see a spider, maybe let it know you appreciate its hard work by leaving it be.

Eating Shellfish Likely Means Eating Plastic, Scientists Say

The amount of plastic in our oceans—and thus in our seafood—is rising.

Tardigrade: Bob Goldstein and Vicky Madden, UNC Chapel Hill // Public Domain / Hearts: Public Domain

Tardigrade Sex Does Not Disappoint

It’s gross. It’s tender. It’s … lengthy.

Sea Star: University of Southern Denmark / Speech Bubble: Amada44 via Wikimedia Commons // Public Domain

Stubborn Sea Stars Thwart Student Scientists by Expelling Microchip Implants

Tracking tags implanted in the sea stars were found lying beside the animals days later.

Original art by Rebecca Konte for the Prakash Lab

Baby Sea Stars Are Real-Life Water Benders

Scientists say the larvae flap tiny hairs to create liquid vortices that can either draw food in or help propel them through the water.

Tiny Shrimp Are the Bees of the Sea

Scientists observed swarms of minuscule marine critters pollinating sea grass in the Caribbean.

Scientists Play Matchmakers for a Lonely Lefty Snail

Jeremy the garden snail was born a mirror image of most snails—a fact that’s made mating impossible.

Gauthier via Wikimedia Commons // CC BY-SA 3.0

Darwin’s Obsession With Barnacle Penises Makes a Lot of Sense Now

The crustaceans’ extraordinary genitals can get longer, thicker, change shape, and even fall off and regenerate in order to suit their environment.

South American Earthworms Build Enormous Mounds of Poop

The massive mounds lie across the wetlands like huge green polka dots.

Scott Portelli Wildlife Photographer, @scottportelli

Octopuses, Cuttlefish, and Squid Are Thriving in Warming Waters

An octopus uprising seems more possible with every passing day.

Luiz Eduardo via Wikimedia Commons // CC BY 2.0

Stung by a Jelly? Get Yourself in Hot Water

Scientists say heat, not cold (or urine) is the best first aid for a sting.

Why We Need to Save the Burnt Hot Dog Sea Cucumber

"Sea cucumbers look goofy, move slowly, and barf up their guts when startled, but these invertebrates are superstar ocean cleaners that are hugely important to marine ecosystems.”

10 Juicy Facts About Leeches

Sure, some latch on to your ankles and drink your blood, but leeches are just misunderstood parasitic worms.

Plankton Poop Might Be Moving Plastic to the Bottom of the Ocean

Plankton love to eat microbeads, which could potentially spread plastic pollution throughout the ocean.

15 Electrifying Facts About Jellyfish

They're colorful, dangerous, and mesmerizing—and there's a lot more going on with gelatinous jellyfish than meets the eye. Here are 15 electrifying fast about these undersea beauties.