Jess French - Minibeasts with Jess French

For my dad, Martin, who introduced me to the magical world of minibeasts and for Fenya, who still has it all to discover.

BLOOMSBURY WILDLIFE

Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

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This electronic edition published in 2018 by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

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First published in Great Britain 2018

Text copyright Jess French, 2018

Photographs, including cover photographs, copyright as detailed , 2018

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Contents

INT RODUCING MINIBEASTS

Before we begin our adventure into the fascinating world of minibeasts, heres a quick note about the slightly more boring science of taxonomy. To make sense of our amazing world, scientists have devised excellent ways of classifying how all our different creatures fit together by sorting them into separate groups. Invertebrates which are animals lacking a backbone are broadly classified into the categories below, according to how complicated their tissues and body systems are.

The word minibeast has no place in science its a non-taxonomic term, so there are no strict rules about what it does and doesnt include, and scientists seem to dislike it. However, I think its the perfect word to describe the fascinating and bizarre species that populate the minute invertebrate world. It depicts these animals precisely as they are: tiny, enchanting monsters with huge characters and incredible superpowers.

My definition of minibeast can be stretched to cover any of the invertebrates that fit into this taxonomic tree above, but I have spent vastly more time studying arthropods, annelids, flatworms and molluscs than any of the other, more obscure groups. Thats quite simply because those are the easiest minibeasts to observe (I dont often come across sponges, jellyfish and single-celled organisms in my day-to-day minibeast interactions!). If youre interested to learn more about the other phyla on the taxonomic tree, Ive included short definitions for them within the , where youll also find definitions for other specialist minibeasts terms I use throughout this book.

The four invertebrate groups Im going to focus on in this book are:

Annelids are segmented worms, such as earthworms, ragworms and leeches. They dont have legs or a hard skeleton, and their bodies are split into many small segments. They are excellent swimmers and burrowers, which means they can live in freshwater, marine and terrestrial environments. They are extremely sensitive to drying out, so they cannot survive in areas with little moisture.

Flatworms are ribbon-shaped, flat-bodied worms. They have a very basic body plan, with no respiratory or circulatory systems and a crude nervous system. Many flatworms are parasites that live in or on other animals.

Molluscs are soft-bodied invertebrates that sometimes have calcium carbonate shells. They generally dont have any segments and often have a tongue mounted with hundreds of tiny teeth, called a radula. Some molluscs, such as slugs and snails, have one big, muscular foot. Other molluscs, such as squids and octopuses, have multiple tentacles.

Arthropods are invertebrates with exoskeletons. This external skeleton allows them to have jointed appendages and survive in dry areas, but it also means that they must periodically moult their skin in order to grow. Arthropods are further divided into groups depending on the number of legs they have:

Left: Insects (6 legs)

Right: Arachnids (8 legs)

Left: Crustaceans (1014 legs)

Right: Myriapods (more than 20 legs)

Minibeasts are a wildly diverse and successful bunch, and are found almost everywhere in the world. Although individually small, the minibeast total population and biomass vastly outnumbers that of their vertebrate counterparts. These are the species that shape the way our planet looks, functions and perpetuates they pollinate plants, decompose dung, spread seeds, and provide food for birds, fish and mammals. Without invertebrates our world simply would not function.

Not only are minibeasts vital to the running of our planet, but they also demonstrate behaviours that are virtually unbelievable. While I could dedicate this entire book just to the ecological importance of minibeasts, instead I hope to introduce you to some of the weirdest and most fascinating members of the minibeast world, and to expose you to a few of their strangest behaviours through the breathtaking photos, masses of amazing facts and profiles of incredible species in the pages ahead. So lets dive into the mindblowing world of the minibeast!

E AT

Invertebrates can be found almost everywhere on the planet, so it is no surprise that theyve adapted to exploit an incredible array of food sources. We commonly associate minibeasts with the destruction of crops, but there are many ingenious invertebrates that feast on much more interesting foodstuffs than lettuces and tomatoes!

There are minibeasts with fantastic mouthparts that help them get their food, yet the most basic of invertebrate digestive systems is little more than a sack and a hole. The hole allows food to enter and leave the body, and the sack is full of enzymes that digest the food. More complex minibeasts have two holes, connected by a tube. The most intricate of invertebrate body systems include sensory palps cutting, shearing and sucking mouthparts and the ability to tolerate and recycle toxins.