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Invertebrates
- Invertebrates include all of the animals lacking an internal skeleton of bone or cartilage
- Many are microscopic; macroinvertebrates are those that may be seen without magnification
- Biologists often use macroinvertebrates to assess the health of waterbodies
- The composition of the invertebrate community tells a story.Some groups are very sensitive to pollution , others are very tolerant, some are sensitive to specific types of pollution (nutrients, heavy metals etc).
- Identifying species within each group typically requires a microscope and years of dedicated study
- With few exceptions identification here is at the Family level or higher
