Category: Invertebrates
This phylum of animals inhabits marine waters worldwide. They are named for their distinctive rows of cilia, or combs, that they use swimming – they are actually the largest organism in the world that uses cilia for locomotion. They possess a decentralized nerve net rather than a brain and display a wide range of body forms –for example, coastal species have sturdy bodies that are able to withstand constant buffeting by waves while some open-ocean species are so fragile it is difficult to collect them for study.
It’s an ant’s world. We’re just living in it.
Do humans truly dominate the world? The Argentine ant may have something to say about that. Many ants are known for their large colonies, but the Argentine ant, named for its South American origins takes this to a whole other level. Due to inadvertent introduction by humans, the Argentine ant has spread to all continents except Antarctica. There are now three known super-colonies of these ants: one in Europe (the largest, covering 3,700 miles), one in California (560 miles), and another on the west coast of Japan. Ants are often territorial, but amazingly, ants belonging to the super-colonies recognize one another: if you were to introduce a super colony ant from Japan to one from Europe or California, they will recognize each other as friends!
Learn more >>
Discover Animals is a web-based educational resource offered by the NAIA
