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In Praise of Invertebrates

Most of the countless animals in the ocean twilight zone do not have a backbone. Invertebrates include zooplankton and jellies and account for much of the life beyond the reach of sunlight. Animals like these make our planet livable by serving as an invaluable link in the food chain and by helping move carbon and nutrients through the ocean. The more we can learn about life in the twilight zone, the better we can manage and protect all life on Earth. (Photo montage by Paul Caiger, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)