Invertebrate Life

Velvet Crab

Taken by Kieran Boyce, Dublin University Sub-Aqua Club

Velvet Crab
Taken by Kieran Boyce, Dublin University Sub-Aqua Club

Velvet Crab

Taken by Kieran Boyce, Dublin University Sub-Aqua Club

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The “invertebrates” – the huge group of animals with no backbone – are the most diverse and interesting group of animals in the sea. Ranging from the tiniest microscopic plankton and the humble sea anemone, to the giant clam and giant squid, invertebrates can be found in every kind of marine environment. They form the lower levels of the food pyramid for top predators such as fish, birds and mammals, but also do their fair share of hunting themselves, as anyone nipped by a crab or stung by a jellyfish will know.