Invertebrates is a complete, trusted, and engaging textbook whose comprehensive coverage makes it an invaluable resource for both undergraduate and graduate courses and professional researchers. The 3rd edition has been widely praised for its detailed classifications, high-quality illustrations, and coverage of contemporary debates in the field. The 4th edition will continue to feature recent scholarship and current perspectives, while streamlining the text to improve accessibility for intro-level students. Gonzalo Giribet joins as coauthor, contributing his phylogenomic expertise as an Evolutionary Biologist and Phylogeneticist, and Director of Harvard's Museum of Comparative Zoology.

This text is also available as an eBook via VitalSource.

Features

• Retains the popular aspects of previous editions, but is substantially shorter in length
• Detailed classifications and taxonomic synopses within each phylum are provided. These are to be used as a reference to look up taxonomic names, understand the traits that distinguish groups, or get an overall sense of the scope of the higher taxa in a phylum.
• Invertebrates is the only college textbook on the subject that is in full color.
• Introductory chapters introduce students to systematics and phylogenetics, reviewing animal body plans, metazoan development, and other fundamentals of zoology.

New to this Edition

• Abundance of new figures and photos, including detailed anatomical diagrams that are suitable for lab courses
• The new edition's condensed length and relaxed writing style make this edition easily accessible to students
• Completely up to date with latest developments in the field of invertebrate biology, including most recent work in genomics, molecular phylogenetics, and evo-devo as well as an up-to-date description of modern phylogenetic systematics in Chapter 2
• Gonzalo Giribet lends his expertise as the newest addition to the team (Director of the Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University)
• Much of the art has been updated; yet the authors have continued to include diagrams that will be useful to students in the laboratory, including for animal dissections
• New Summary Boxes appear at the end of each chapter.

Chapter 1: Introduction
Keeping Track of Life
Prokaryotes and Eukaryotes
Where Did Invertebrates Come From?
Where Do Invertebrates Live?
Changing Views of Invertebrate Phylogeny
A Final Introductory Message to the Reader

Chapter 2: Systematics, Phylogeny, and Classification
Phylogeny, Monophyly, Paraphyly, and Polyphyly
Homology
Apomorphy and Plesiomorphy
Challenges of Phylogenetic Inference
Constructing Phylogenies
Biological Classification
Nomenclature

Chapter 3: Introduction to the Animal Kingdom: Animal Architecture and Body Plans
Body Symmetry
Cellularity, Body Size, Germ Layers, and Body Cavities
Locomotion and Support
Cilia and Flagella
Feeding and Digestion
Excretion and Osmoregulation
Circulation and Gas Exchange
Nervous Systems and Sense Organs
Bioluminescence
Nervous Systems and Body Plans
Hormones and Pheromones
Reproduction

Chapter 4: Introduction to the Animal Kingdom: Development, Life Histories, and Origin
Evolutionary Developmental Biology: Evo-Devo
Eggs and Embryos
Life Cycles: Sequences and Strategies
The Relationships Between Ontogeny and Phylogeny
The Origin of the Metazoa

Chapter 5: Phylum Porifera: The Sponges
Taxonomic History and Classification
The Poriferan Body Plan
Some Additional Aspects of Sponge Biology
Poriferan Phylogeny

Chapter 6: Two Enigmatic Phyla: Placozoa and Ctenophora (The Comb Jellies)
Phylum Ctenophora
Taxonomic History and Classification
The Ctenophoran Body Plan
Ctenophoran Phylogeny

Chapter 7: Phylum Cnidaria: Anemones, Corals, Jellyfish, and Their Kin
Taxonomic History and Classification
The Cnidarian Body Plan
Cnidarian Evolutionary History

Chapter 8: A Brief introduction to the Bilateria and Its Major Clades
Deuterostomes and Protostomes

Chapter 9: Phylum Xenacoelomorpha. Basal Bilaterians
The Basal Bilaterian
Phylum Xenacoelomorpha
Subphylum Acoelomorpha
Class Acoela
The Acoel Body Plan
Class Nemertodermatida
The Nemertodermatid Body Plan
Subphylum Xenoturbellida
The Xenoturbellid Body Plan

Chapter 10: Protostomia, Spiralia, and the Phylum Dicyemida + Spiralia and Ecdysozoa
The Phylum Dicyemida (= Rhombozoa)
Anatomy and Biology of Dicyemidans
Life Cycles

Chapter 11: Gnathifera. The Phyla Gnathostomulida, Rotifera (including Acanthocephala), Micrognathozoa, and Chaetognatha + Phylum Gnathostomulida: The Gnathostomulids
The Gnathostomulid Body Plan
Phylum Rotifera: The Free-Living Rotifers
The Rotifer Body Plan
Body Cavity, Support, and Locomotion
Nervous System and Sense Organs
Reproduction and Development
Phylum Rotifera, Subclass Acanthocephala: The Acanthocephalans
The Acanthocephalan Body Plan
Phylum Micrognathozoa: The Micrognathozoans
The Micrognathozoan Body Plan
Phylum Chaetognatha
Chaetognath Classification
The Chaetognath Body Plan
Reproduction and Development

Chapter 12: Platytrochozoa and Two Enigmatic Phyla: Entoprocta and Cycliophora + Phylum Entoprocta: The Entoprocts
The Entoproct Body Plan
Phylum Cycliophora: The Cycliophorans

Chapter 13: Introduction to the Lophotrochozoa, and the Phylum Mollusca + The Lophotrochoza
Phylum Mollusca
Taxonomic History and Classification
The Molluscan Body Plan
Molluscan Evolution and Phylogeny

Chapter 14: Phylum Nemertea: The Ribbon Worms + Taxonomic History and Classification
The Nemertean Body Plan
Nemertean Phylogeny

Chapter 15: Phylum Annelida. The Segmented (and Some Unsegmented) Worms + Taxonomic History and Classification
The Annelid Body Plan
Sipuncula: The Peanut Worms
Sipunculan Classification
The Sipunculan Body Plan
Thalassematidae: The Spoon Worms
Siboglinidae: Vent Worms and Their Kin
Siboglinid Taxonomic History
The Siboglinid Body Plan
Hirudinea: Leeches and Their Relatives
The Hirudinean Body Plan
Orthonectida: Extremely Simplified Annelids
Annelid Phylogeny

Chapter 16: The Lophophorata: Phyla Phoronida, Bryozoa, and Brachiopoda + Taxonomic History of the Lophophorates
The Lophophorate Body Plan
Phylum Phoronida: The Phoronids
The Phoronid Body Plan
Phylum Bryozoa: The Moss Animals
The Bryozoan Body Plan
Phylum Brachiopoda: The Lamp Shells
The Brachiopod Body Plan

Chapter 17: Rouphozoa: The Phyla Platyhelminthes (Flatworms) and Gastrotricha (Hairy-Bellied Worms) + Introduction to Rouphozoa
The Phylum Platyhelminthes (Flatworms)
Taxonomic History and Classification
The Platyhelminth Body Plan
Platyhelminth Phylogeny
Phylum Gastrotricha: The Gastrotrichs, or Hairy-Bellied Worms
The Gastrotrich Body Plan
Reproduction and Development

Chapter 18: Introduction to Ecdysozoa: Scalidophora (Phyla Kinorhyncha, Priapula, Loricifera) + Introduction to Ecdysozoa
The Scalidophora
Phylum Kinorhyncha: The Kinorhynchs, or Mud Dragons
The Kinorhynch Body Plan
Phylum Priapula: The Priapulans, or Penis Worms
Priapulan Body Plan
Nervous System and Sense Organs
Phylum Loricifera: The Loriciferans

Chapter 19:  Nematoida: Phyla Nematoda and Nematomorpha + Phylum Nematoda: Roundworms
Nematode Classification
The Nematode Body Plan
Life Cycles of Some Parasitic Nematodes
Phylum Nematomorpha: Horsehair Worms and Their Kin
The Nematomorph Body Plan

Chapter 20: Panarthropoda and the Emergence of the Arthropods. Tardigrades, Onychophorans, and the Arthropod Body Plan + Phylum Tardigrada
The Tardigrade Body Plan
Phylum Onychophora
The Onychophoran Body Plan
An Introduction to the Phylum Arthropoda
The Arthropod Body Plan and Arthropodization
The Evolution of Arthropods

Chapter 21: Phylum Arthropoda. Subphylum Crustacea: Crabs, Shrimps, and Their Kin + Classification of the Crustacea
Synopses of Crustacean Taxa
The Crustacean Body Plan
Crustacean Phylogeny

Chapter 22: Phylum Arthropoda. Hexapoda: Insects and Their Kin + The Hexapod Body Plan
Hexapod Evolution

Chapter 23:  Phylum Arthropoda. Subphylum Myriapoda: Centipedes, Millipedes, and Their Kin + Myriapod Classification
The Myriapod Body Plan
Myriapod Phylogeny

Chapter 24: Phylum Arthropoda. The Chelicerata + Synopses of Living Chelicerate Groups*
The Euchelicerate Body Plan
The Class Pycnogonida
The Pycnogonid Body Plan
Chelicerate Phylogeny

Chapter 25: Introduction to Deuterostomia, and the Phylum Hemichordata + Introduction to the Deuterostomia
Phylum Hemichordata: Acorn Worms and Pterobranchs
The Hemichordate Body Plan
Class Enteropneusta (Acorn Worms)
Class Pterobranchia (Pterobranchs)
Hemichordate Fossil Record and Phylogeny

Chapter 26: The Phylum Echinodermata + The Phylum Echinodermata
Taxonomic History and Classification
The Echinoderm Body Plan
Echinoderm Phylogeny

Chapter 27: Phylum Chordata: Cephalochordata and Urochordata + Phylum Chordata, Subphylum Cephalochordata: The Lancelets
The Cephalochordate Body Plan
Phylum Chordata, Subphylum Urochordata: The Tunicates
The Tunicate Body Plan
Chordate Phylogeny

Chapter 28: Perspectives on Invertebrate Phylogeny

Richard C. Brusca, Ph.D., University of Arizona, is Executive Director Emeritus of the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum and a Research Scientist in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Arizona. Dr. Brusca is the author of over 200 research publications and 15 books, and the recipient of more than 100 research grants from the National Science Foundation, NOAA, and the National Geographic Society, and many others. He is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the Linnean Society of London, and the California Academy of Sciences. His research interests include invertebrate zoology, the natural history of the Sonoran Desert and Gulf of California, and ecology of Arizona's Madrean Sky Islands.

Gonzalo Giribet, Ph.D., University of Barcelona, is Alexander Agassiz Professor of Zoology, Curator of Invertebrates and Director of the Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard, and a Professor in the Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology. In addition, he holds an Doctor Honoris Causa from the University of Copenhagen, and he an Honorary Research Fellow at The Natural History Museum, London, a Fellow of the California Academy of Sciences, and a 2016 Fellow of the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation. He has published more than 400 scientific articles and book chapters, and has named more than 100 new species, genera, and families of invertebrates. His research is broadly interested in the origins and maintenance of animal diversity, which he explores through studying the evolution, systematics, and biogeography of invertebrate animals.

Wendy Moore, Ph.D., University of Arizona, is Associate Professor in the Department of Entomology at the University of Arizona and Curator of the University of Arizona Insect Collection. Her long-term research interest is the evolution of diversity, particularly of invertebrates and especially of insects. She is a systematist who uses molecular-based phylogenetics to understand the evolution of morphology and how biotic, climatic, and tectonic events may have influenced the timing and patterns of diversification. She is also committed to natural history collections care and enhancement, and the use of bioinformatics to make collections-based data widely available to diverse user communities.

Click here to access the full list of lecturer resources

“This is an excellent reference text that will fill students in on material, providing them with a feeling of having had a solid introduction to the clade in question. It is also now the most up-to-date text, which is important with the changes in taxonomy.”-- Derek Rosenberger, Olivet Nazarene University

“This is the 21st century's authoritative reference on invertebrate zoology. The most compelling feature is its comprehensiveness. It is the book that I turn to when I need to review basic biology or systematics of invertebrates.” --Steve Dudgeon, CSU Northridge

“This book has the highest quality figures of any texts on the subject.”-- Lynne Fieber, University of Miami