Most of the animal species found in the rainforest are invertebrates, including insects, arachnids (such as spiders and scorpions), and worms.
Amazingly, about one quarter of all animal species that have been named and described by scientists are beetles. More than 500,000 kinds of beetles are known to exist, many of them from the world’s rainforests.
Rainforest invertebrates come in an incredible array of sizes, ranging from organisms that can sit on a pinhead to the goliath beetle of Africa, which can weigh nearly a quarter of a pound (110 grams). Some Bornean stick insects—which are experts in disguise—can attain a length of more than 20 inches (50cm).
Below you will find some photos of rainforest insects. Please note there is more extensive information about rainforest insects, including specific species, at the main rainforest site.
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Review questions
- What are examples of invertebrates from the rainforest?
- What is the largest group of insects?
- Invertebrates in the rainforest canopy From our main rainforests web site
- Invertebrates of the rainforest floor From our main rainforests web site
- Rainforest invertebrate photos From our photo site
- Insects news feed From Mongabay's news site
- The Great Insect Dying In 2019, Mongabay published a four-part miniseries which took a deep dive into the science behind the so-called “Insect Apocalypse.”
- May I use graphics from mongabay.com for my projects? Yes, you may provided that you don't remove the mongabay label from the images. You may use information from the site for class projects and can cite mongabay as the source.
- Where can I learn more about rainforests? Check the main rainforest site.
- Is this web site credible? Mongabay is the world's most popular source for information on tropical forests. The site is highly acclaimed by a number of the world's leading tropical scientists. See more answers at our frequently asked questions page.
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