Invertebrates at the National Zoo    more

Phylum Porifera (Sponges)

Class Demospongiae

Order Haplosclerida

Family Haliclonidae

Ptilocaulis gracilis - red ball sponge

Phylum Cnidaria (Cnidarians)
Class Anthozoa (Sea anemones, corals, sea fans)

Order Alcyonacea

Family Alcyonidae

Sacrophyton trocheliophorum - Common toadstool

Order Zoanthidea

Family Zoanthidae

Palythoa grandeis - Green polyps

Order Gorgonacea

Family Plexauridae

Eunicea mammosa - Candelabra coral

Order Actiniaria

Family Actiniidae

Anthopleura xanthogrammica - Green anemone
Condylactis passiflora - Pink-tipped anemone
Tealia sp. - Tealia

Family Metridiidae

Metridium senile - Frilled (formerly plumose) anemone

Family Aiptasiidae

Aiptasia pallida - Pale anemone

Order Ceriantharia

Family Cerianthidae

Cerianthus sp. - Rock anemone

Order Scleractinia

Family Poritidae

Porites sp. - Stony coral
Scleractinia sp. - Stony coral
Sinularia sp. - Mauve finger coral
Discosoma sp. - Mushroom rock (anemone)

Family Caryophyllidae

Catalaphyllia jardinei - Brown elegance coral

Family Trachyphyllidae

Trachyphyllia geoffroyi
Pacific rose coral

Phylum Echinodermata (Echinoderms)

Class Stelleroidea (sea stars)

Order Forcipulata

Family Asteriidae

Pisaster ochraceus - Purple sea star
Pycnopodia helianthoides - Sunflower star

Order Spinulosida

Family Echinasteridae

Echinaster sentus - Thorny (or spiny) sea star

Family Poraniidae

Dermasterias imbricata - Leather sea star

Order Valvatida

Family Oreasteridae

Oreaster reticulatus - Bahama sea star

Order Ophiurida

Family Ophiodermatidae

Ophioderma sp - Serpentstar

Family Ophiocomidae

Ophiocoma sp. - Brittlestar


Class Echinoidea (Sea Urchins, Sand Dollars)

Order Arbacioida

Family Arbaciidae

Arbacia punctulata - Rock urchin

Family Strongylocentrotidae

Strongylocentrotus franciscanus - Red urchin

Order Cidaroida

Family Cidaridae

Eucidaris tribuloides - Slate-pencil urchin

Order Temnopleuroida

Family Toxopneustidae

Ltechinus variegatus - Variable urchin

Order Echinoida

Family Echinometridae

Echinometra lucunter - Rock urchin or rock boring urchin

Class Holothuroidea (sea cucumbers)

Order Aspidochirotida

Family Holothuriidae

Holothuria mexicana - Bumpy sea cucumber

Family Stichopodidae

Astichopus mutifidus - sea cucumber
parastichopus californicus - giant sea cucumber

Phylum Mollusca (Mulluscs)

Class Polyplacophora (Chitons)

Order Acanthochitonida

Family Acanthochitonidae

Cryptochiton stelleri - Giant gumboot chiton

Class Gastropoda (Limpets, abalones, snails slugs)

Order Archaeogastropoda

Family Acmaeidae

Notoacmea ssp - Sculptured limpet

Family Fissurellidae

Diodora aspera - Keyhole limpet

Order Mesogastropoda

Family Cymatiidae

Cymatium variegata - West Indian triton

Family Cypraeidae

Cypraea cervus - Deer cowrie

Order Neogastropoda

Family Fasciolariidae

Pleuroploca gigantea - Horse conch

Family Muricidae

Phyllonotus pomum - Apple murex

Class Cephalopoda (Squids, octopuses, nautiluses)

Order Nautiloidea

Family Nautilidae

Nautilus pompilius - Chambered nautilus

Order Sepioidea

Family Sepiidae

Sepia officinalis - Common cuttlefish

Subclass Coleoidea

Order Octopoda

Family Octopodidae

Octopus dofleini - Giant Pacific octopus

Phylum Arthopoda (Arthropods)

Subphylum Crustacea (Crustaceans)

Class Malacostraca

Order Decapoda

Family Palaemonidae

Macrobrachium rosenbergii - Freshwater prawn
Periclimenes pedersoni - Anemone shrimp

Family Hippolytidae

Lysmata wurdemanni - Peppermint shrimp

Family Palinuridae

Panulirus guttatus - Spotted spiny lobster
Panulirus argas - American spiny lobster

Family Scyllaridae

Parribacus antarcticus - Sculptured slipper lobster

Family Diogenidae

Petrochirus diogenes - Giant hermit crab
Paguristes longitarpus - Long leg hermit crab

Family Portunidae

Callinectes sapidus - Blue crab

Family Paguridae

Pagurus (unk sp) - Pacific hermit crab

Family Geocarcinidae

Cardisoma guanhumi - Great land crab

Order Stomatopoda

Family Squillidae

Squilla sp. - Clown mantis shrimp

Subphylum Chelicerate (chelicerates)

Class Arachnida (Spiders, scorpions, mites)

Order Uropygi

Family Uropogy

Mastigoproctus giganteus - Vinegaroon

Order Araneae

Family Theraphosidae

Theraphosa leblondi - Goliath bird-eating tarantula
Grammostola spathulata - Rose hair tarantula

Family Araneidae

Nephila madagascariensis - Golden orb spider

Family Theridiidae

Lactrodectus tredecimguttatus - Black widow spider

Subphylum Uniramia (Uniramians)

Superclass Insecta

Order Hemiptera

Family Nepidae

Ranatra sp. - Water scorpion

Order Dictyoptera

Family Blattellidae

Gramphadorina portentosa - Hissing cockroach

Order Coleoptera

Family Cerambycidae

Moneilema gigas - Longhorn cactus beetle

Family Dytiscidae

Thermonectus marmoratus - Sunburst diving beetle
Thermonectus sp. - Diving beetle

Order Lepidoptera

Family Heliconiidae

Dryas julia - Orange julia butterfly
Heliconius charitonia - Zebra long-wing butterfly
Heliconius erato - Erato butterfly

Order Hymenoptera

Family Apidae

Apis mellifera - Honeybee

Family Formicidae

Atta cephalotes - Leaf-cutter ant

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