There are an estimated 50,000 species that belong to the invertebrate group known as Mollusca. Members of this diverse group have soft bodies which are composed of a ‘head’ region and a “foot” region.
Included in the Mollusks are the widely-known groups of bivalves (clams, mussels, scallops), cephalopods (cuttlefish, nautilus, octopuses and squids), and gastropods (limpets, snails, slugs).
Types
Invertebrates
The Giant Pacific Octopus prefers chilly waters in the Pacific, but can be found as far north as Alaska and as far south as Southern California. They are stealthy hunters that eat a wide assortment of seafood - most commonly crabs, clams and other mussels. Like other members of the octopus family, the Giant Pacific Octopus uses special pigment cells in its skin to change colors and textures, and can blend in with intricately patterned corals, plants, and rocks.
Highly intelligent creatures, they grow bigger and live longer than any other octopus species.
See it in its new home in Ring of Fire: World of the Octopus
Arthropods are invertebrates with an exoskeleton, a hard and protective outer shell made of chitin. They also have appendages that are jointed and their bodies are segmented.
The term "echinoderm" means spiny skinned; and is a very appropriate name for invertebrates in this group. Sand dollars, sea cucumbers, sea stars and sea urchins are all echinoderms.
Opens March 22! Between towering volcanoes and deep ocean trenches, strange sea creatures thrive. Meet the Giant Pacific Octopus exploring its GIANT NEW home and a rotating collection of NEW octopuses like the Wunderpus! Discover strange sea creatures thriving on towering structures that form where lava meets near-freezing sea water, and more!
