Marine invertebrates are represented by thousands invertebrate animal species, including mollusks, crustaceans, and echinoderms, that are all closely associated with saltwater and are particularly important for coastal cultures.
Marine invertebrates represent a diversified group of invertebrate animals that are associated with saltwater. They include many groups of mollusks, like bivalves (clams, mussels, cockles, oysters, and scallops), cephalopods (octopus and squids), chitons, and sea snails and slugs, but also groups like crustaceans (crabs, lobsters, shrimps, and barnacles), echinoderms (sea cucumbers, sea urchins, sea stars, and sand dollars), and cnidarians (anemones).