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Farmers, Warriors, Builders: The Hidden Life of Antsat the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History
Invertebrates
are the most abundant creatures on earth, crawling,
flying, floating, or swimming in virtually all of
Earth's habitats, from townhouses to tropical rainforests.
Yet most of us rarely notice them unless they're in
our gardens or on our dinner plates.
Invertebrates—creatures without backbones—are
nature's unsung heroes, quietly playing vital roles
in earth's ecosystems. About 99 percent
of all known living species are invertebrates. Vertebrates—fish,
amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals—make
up a tiny fraction of life on earth. 
more about the silent majority
It is nearly impossible to go a day without encountering one of the million species of arthropods. Most of them are insects, and many others are spiders.
Curious About Coral Conservation?
Read answers to many commonly asked questions.
Giant Clams Now on Exhibit
The Zoo recently welcomed several new additions to the Invertebrate Exhibit. Giant clams recently made their debut in the coral tank. They can grow up to nine inches.
They are hunted for their meat and shells, collected for the pet trade, and threatened by the increasing destruction of their coral-reef habitats.
Read more, see photos, and watch a video.
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Invertebrate Photo Gallery |
Help with cam
Can’t see any animals?
The animal(s) in this enclosure may have moved out of view.
The giant Pacific octopus
is the world's largest octopus—large males may have an arm span up to 25 feet and weigh more than 100 pounds. Octopuses are mollusks, and are related to squid, cuttlefish, and nautiluses.
Octopus facts | Ocean Living photo gallery
Microtheater
At the Zoo's Invertebrate Exhibit
The Zoo's Invertebrate Exhibit is home to dozens of invertebrate species, from sea stars to spiny lobsters to giant African millipedes to tarantulas to a giant Pacific octopus, which can be seen on our 
web cam above.
One visitor favorite is the common cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis). These cephalopods are fed three times a day and delight visitors with dramatic color and pattern changes.
Visitors can also see beautiful zebra longwing, orange julia, and erato butterflies in our Pollinarium. more
Chesapeake Bay Crab Exhibit
The Blue Crab and the Bay exhibit, located at the Invertebrate Exhibit, highlights the biology of the blue crab, Callinectes sapidus, focusing on its lifecycle and its environment in the Chesapeake Bay. Find out more.
Every day staff and volunteers welcome visitors into the world of invertebrates through conversation, demonstrations,
and science-based discussions.
Special demonstrations
and activities occur throughout the day. The animals
are housed in aquariums and terrestrial exhibits. exhibit
details
For a journey into the realm of the fascinating, odd, graceful, and the ecologically complex, visit the Invertebrate Exhibit.
