invertebrates

Wasps not only pack a sting. They can also exhibit a kind of logical deduction never before seen in invertebrates.

The warty comb jelly forms an anus only when it needs to defecate, and it may hold clues to how the anus evolved millions of years ago.

It involves something called a "love dart," and it's less romantic than it sounds.

Courtesy of the Chemo III project, BOEM, and NOAA OER

The tubeworms, found in the deepest waters of the Gulf of Mexico, regularly reach 250 to 300 years old.

We’re talking hummingbirds, not eagles, but still.

Matthew Modoono / Northeastern University

"When I took that thing out of the tube, there was a collective gasp among the whole group, along with quite a number of expletives."

Bastique via Wikimedia Commons // CC BY-SA 3.0

There’s evidence to support both sponges and comb jellies' claim to the title, but the latest research, published in the new journal Nature Ecology and Evolution, lands hard in favor of Team Jelly.

NOAA OKEANOS EXPLORER Program, Gulf of Mexico 2014 Expedition via Flickr Creative Commons // CC BY 2.0

Experts say octopuses, squid, and cuttlefish have been using “an alternative engine” for evolution.

Jurgen Otto via Wikimedia Commons // CC BY-SA 2.0

The next time you see a spider, maybe let it know you appreciate its hard work by leaving it be.

The amount of plastic in our oceans—and thus in our seafood—is rising.

Tardigrade: Bob Goldstein and Vicky Madden, UNC Chapel Hill // Public Domain / Hearts: Public Domain

It’s gross. It’s tender. It’s … lengthy.

Sea Star: University of Southern Denmark / Speech Bubble: Amada44 via Wikimedia Commons // Public Domain

Tracking tags implanted in the sea stars were found lying beside the animals days later.

Original art by Rebecca Konte for the Prakash Lab

Scientists say the larvae flap tiny hairs to create liquid vortices that can either draw food in or help propel them through the water.

Scientists observed swarms of minuscule marine critters pollinating sea grass in the Caribbean.

Jeremy the garden snail was born a mirror image of most snails—a fact that’s made mating impossible.

Gauthier via Wikimedia Commons // CC BY-SA 3.0

The crustaceans’ extraordinary genitals can get longer, thicker, change shape, and even fall off and regenerate in order to suit their environment.

The massive mounds lie across the wetlands like huge green polka dots.

Scott Portelli Wildlife Photographer, @scottportelli

An octopus uprising seems more possible with every passing day.

Luiz Eduardo via Wikimedia Commons // CC BY 2.0

Scientists say heat, not cold (or urine) is the best first aid for a sting.

"Sea cucumbers look goofy, move slowly, and barf up their guts when startled, but these invertebrates are superstar ocean cleaners that are hugely important to marine ecosystems.”

Wasps Have the Ability to Use Logic, According to a New Study

For the First Time, Scientists Find Jellyfish-Like Animal With ‘Transient’ Anus

The Weird, Disturbing World of Snail Sex

Hero Crayfish Cheats Death By Removing Its Own Claw to Escape Pot of Boiling Water

Drone Captures Massive Swarm of Jellyfish Off British Columbia That Weighs More Than 70 Tons

Scientists Catch Tiny Jumping Spiders Eating Frogs and Lizards

The Tardigrade’s Extraordinary Weirdness Continues

These Deep-Sea Worms Could Live More Than a Thousand Years

Mantises Regularly Catch and Feast On Birds, NBD

This Rare Shipworm Is Not Safe for Work

Scientists: Jellies Are the Oldest Animals on Earth

Cephalopods Evolve Differently From the Rest of Us, Study Finds

Spiders Eat Hundreds of Millions of TONS of Bugs Every Year

Eating Shellfish Likely Means Eating Plastic, Scientists Say

Tardigrade Sex Does Not Disappoint

Stubborn Sea Stars Thwart Student Scientists by Expelling Microchip Implants

Baby Sea Stars Are Real-Life Water Benders

Tiny Shrimp Are the Bees of the Sea

Scientists Play Matchmakers for a Lonely Lefty Snail

Darwin’s Obsession With Barnacle Penises Makes a Lot of Sense Now

South American Earthworms Build Enormous Mounds of Poop

Octopuses, Cuttlefish, and Squid Are Thriving in Warming Waters

Stung by a Jelly? Get Yourself in Hot Water

Why We Need to Save the Burnt Hot Dog Sea Cucumber