Super Eco

Photo credit: ktylerconk, flickr

Animals that lack a vertebral column are considered to be an invertebrate. Out of the millions of animal species found on this planet, at least 95% of them fall under this category. Within this class there are 9 phylum's, the Annelid, Arthropoda, Cnidaria, Echinodermata, Mollusca, Nematoda, Nematomorpha, Platyhelminthes, and Porifera.

At least 105 US species of invertebrate are currently protected under the Endangered Species Act, with another 25 considered threatened.  Although there are more invertebrates on this planet than any other species, they are vanishing 1,000, sometimes 10,000 times faster than their natural rate of extinction.  These animals fall under five subspecies of invertebrate— clams, snails, insects, arachnids and crustaceans.  Due to the continued loss of habitat, invertebrates continue to decline in numbers.

In 2002, the Center for Applied Biodiversity Science (CABS) launched the Invertebrate Diversity Initiative (IDI) " to promote invertebrates in conservation practices".  Through this initiative, CABS hopes to grab the attention of conservationists and the general public, so something may be done to protect them before it is too late.