is for CA lcareous Sponge

The calcareous sponge lies in the shallow waters mainly of the Atlantic and Meditteranian Seas. Its IUCN Status has not been determined. They maintain support through spicules and have a rough outer shell for protection. For movement, they are Sessile meaning they stay in the same spot. They can reproduce sexually and asexually. They filter feed meaning they get food through the water currents. They maintain homeostasis by diffusion of nutrients and wastes and the exchange of gasses. No circulatory system is needed since they have no hearts!

Phylum: Porifera

Class: Calcaria

Order: Clathrinida

Family: Clathrinidae

Species: Guancha lacunosa

Did you know?

They measure up to only 10cm!

is for Box Jellyfish

It is one of the fastest swimming jellyfish, which has been recorded to swim up to six meters a second in bursts!!

They live in mangrove swamps, estuarine and coastal waters. Mangrove are small trees that grows in coastal salty water. They use their cilia for movement and their stinging tentacles for protection. They like to munch on small fish and even some other species of jellyfish. They reproduce sexually and their IUCN status is not evaluated. They enable cellular respiration using diffusion. They maintain homeostasis by rhythmically opening and closing their bodies and do not have any specialized organs for this.

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Cnidaria

Class: Cubozoa

Order: Carybdeida

Family: Alatinidae

Species: Chironex Fleckeri

is for GyroCotyle Urna

These little guys live in the big blue ocean! They have no body cavity and nutrients pass through their body using diffusion. They also have no circulatory or respiratory organs which gives them their flat shape. They reproduce sexually and their IUCN status is undetermined. They feed off their hosts nutrients and move using the cilia on the body. They continuously respire to maintain homeostasis being ectotherms.

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Platyhelminthes

Class: Rhabditphora

Order: Cestoda

Family: Gyrocotylidae

Species: Gyrocotyle Urna

They're rarely discussed, even zoologists don't know which end is posterior!

is for Dog Roundworm

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Nematoda

Class: Secernentea

Order: Ascaridida

Family: Toxocaridae

Species: Toxocara Canis

If your pet has worms, this is the culprit! The Dog Roundworm is found inside many dogs and cats intestines. They feed off of the hosts nutrients and reproduce sexually. They have tubular digestive systems with openings at both ends. Their IUCN Status in undetermined. They also do not have circulatory or digestive systems. They move from side to side. They maintain homeostasis through their host and are ectotherms.

They can be deadly to humans too! Most of the time, infected puppies will die

is for Earthworm

These guys are the ones you find in your soil! They feed on live and organic matter. The move by scrunching up and use their coils. They have a closed circulatory system and have coelomic fluid which acts as a hydrostatic skeleton. They are parthenogenic and reproduce sexually. They maintain homeostasis by respiration through their skin and are ectotherms. They usually live in damp and dark areas like soil. Their IUCN Status is data deficient.

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Annelida

Class: Clitellata

Order: Megadrilacea

Family: Almidae

Scientific Name: Lumbricina

They mainly move when its raining outside!

is for CuttleFish

For support, they have a unique cuttlebone and move with their tentacles. They eat small mollusks, crabs, shrimp, fish, octopus, worms, and other cuttlefish. They live in the shallow parts of temperate oceans. Their IUCN Status is least concern. They reproduce sexually and have a closed circulatory system. Cuttlefish can change colors for protection. Did you know they only live 1-2 years? The metabolic waste is filtered by the nephridium. After the nephridia filter the blood, waste is passed out through the anus as well as the mantle cavity. Nephridia are evolutionary adaptations enabling mollusks to efficiently maintain homeostasis in their body fluids as they are ectotherms.

Kingdom:Animalia

Phylum:Mollusca

Class:Cephalopoda

Order:Sepiida

Family: Sepiina

Scientific Name: Sepiida

is for Giant African Snail

Scientific name: Lissachatina fulica

Kingdom: Animalia

Class: Gastropoda

Family: Achatinidae

Phylum: Molluska

The Giant African Snail is about the size of your hand! Crazy! Their foot allows for diffusion across its membrane and the mucus gland keeps it moist. The heart pumps blood into the mantle cavity. They contain a penis and a vagina making them Monoecious, but they reproduce sexually. They live in humid tropics and use the mucus on their foot to move. For protection, the have a shell and for support they have a soft mantle covering their body. it eats a wide range of plant material, fruit, and vegetables. It will sometimes eat sand, very small stones, bones from carcasses and even concrete as calcium sources for its shell. For homeostasis, they produce mucus similar to how humans sweat to control body temperature.

IUCN Status:

Undetermined

is for Grimalditeuthis bonplandi (Squid)

Kingdom:Animalia

Phylum:Mollusca

Class:Cephalopoda

Order:Oegopsida

Family:Chiroteuthidae

Genus:Grimalditeuthis

Species:G. bonplandi

These guys spray black ink when they are trying to protect themselves from predators! They live in the cold bottom of the ocean and have a visceral mass which protects the organs. They move using their tentacles and jet propulsion. They have a muscular stomach in the digestive system. They respire through their gills and sexually reproduce. They eat krill and smaller fish. They have extra and intracellular respiration to get rid of the ammonia. Their ICUN Status is least concern

is for Mytilus Edulis (Blue Mussel)

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Mollusca

Class: Bivalvia

Order: Ostreoida

Family: Mytilidae

Genus: Mytilus

Species: M. edulis

Did you know these guys get their food from the ocean current? They live on the seashore attached to hard surfaces like rocks. They have their protection with their hard exoskeleton. They are semi-sessile meaning they can detach from a surface and attach to another. They eat on small algae and other foods flowing through the waters current. They reproduce sexually by external fertilization. They maintain homeostasis through filtration and cellular respiration as they are ectotherms. They also have an open circulatory system. Their IUCN Status says no special status.

is for Japanese Beetle

Kingdom:Animalia

Phylum:Arthropoda

Class:Insecta

Order:Coleoptera

Family:Scarabaeidae

Genus:Popillia

Species:P. japonica

They often feed on plants and fungi, break down animal and plant debris, and eat other invertebrates. They reproduce sexually and live almost everywhere except for arctic regions and the sea. They have support from their hard exoskeleton and protection from it as protecting their internal organs. They move using their 6 legs and maintain homeostasis by thermoregulation because they are ectotherms. They have a closed circulation and their IUCN Status is unknown, but other beetle populations are decreasing. Did you know these animals are seen as invaders and are unwanted by land owners?

is for Red King Crab

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Arthropoda

Subphylum: Crustacea

Class: Malacostraca

Order: Decapoda

Infraorder: Anomura

Family: Lithodidae

Genus: Paralithodes

Species: P. camtschaticus

Did you know you can find these at your nearest Joes Crab Shack? On a serious note, these bad boys are native to the Bering Sea and are found in cold waters. Their IUCN Status is unknown. They use their legs for movement and have support from their exoskeleton which also protects their internal organs. They feed off of an assortment of worms, bivalves, echinoderms and algae. They reproduce sexually and maintain homeostasis through thermoregulation as ectotherms. They also have an open circulatory system.

is for Arabian Fat-Tailed Scorpion

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Arthropoda

Subphylum: Chelicerata

Class: Arachnida

Order: Scorpiones

Family: Buthidae

Genus: Androctonus

Species: A. crassicauda

Did you know they can only grow around 10 centimeters? Thats small for a dangerous guy. They are found in the palearctic region and live in abandoned or damaged structures. They reproduce sexually and have support from their exoskeleton. They have a mad stinger on the tail as a way of protection and they move with all 6 legs. They have a muscular heart and an open circulatory system. They produce very little feces and usually eat insects and other invertebrates. They can also control their metabolism and are ectotherms for homeostasis. Their IUCN Status is least concern.

is for Gypsy Moth

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Euarthropoda

Class: Insecta

Order: Lepidoptera

Superfamily: Noctuoidea

Family: Erebidae

Genus: Lymantria

Species: L. dispar

Hey, these guys are even in your backyard! They feed on a range of plants and reproduce sexually. They live near trees and mainly in forests. They maintain homeostasis by being ectotherms. They have protection from their fascinating camouflage and have support through their segmented bodies as they are invertebrates. They move with their wings which also give them heat. Their IUCN Status is stable. These guys are known as pests. They have an open circulatory system as well.

is for Tench

Kingdom: Animilia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actenopterygii

Order: Cypriniformes

Family: Cyprinidae

Genus: Tinca

Species: Tinca Tinca

IUCN Redlist: Least Concern

Did you know in Germany the Tench is known as the Schlei? They live in low waters and rivers throughout Europe and Asia. They use their bones for support like we do, and the move using their fins moving side to side. They are slow movers, so they use their scales for protection. They eat small larvae and bottom invertebrates. They reproduce sexually using external fertilization. They maintain homeostasis through the rectal gland and teleosts. They have a closed circulation and respire through their gills which goes to their lungs using cutaneous breathing.

is for Round Stingray

Kingdom:Animalia

Phylum:Chordata

Class:Chondrichthyes

Order:Myliobatiformes

Family:Urotrygonidae

Genus:Urobatis

Species:U. halleri

These guys are only found in the coastal waters of the Pacific Ocean. Their IUCN Status is least concerned. They have support from their cartilige filled bodies and protect themselves using the stingers on their tails. The move using a side to side motion while gliding on the ocean floor. They mainly eat small invertebrates and They reproduce sexually using internal fertilization. They maintain homeostasis through the rectal gland and teleosts. They have a closed circulation and respire through their gills which goes to their lungs using cutaneous breathing. Did you know during mating season, the male bites the females pectoral gland?

is for Alpine Newt

Kingdom:Animalia

Phylum:Chordata

Class:Amphibia

Order:Urodela

Family:Salamandridae

Genus:Ichthyosaura

Species:I. alpestris

Did you know they can live up to 20 years? Thats crazy for a little newt! They live in parts of Europe near small bodies of water. They receive support from their vertabrates and move using their webbed feet. Thehave protection from their smooth moist skin, and their speed. They have closed circulation and cutaneous breathing. They are enviromental sponges and have mesonephros for homeostasis.

They reproduce sexually and externally. They eat crustaceans, gastropods, and other invertebrates.

IUCN Status:

Least Concerned