Photo by miguelb.

Most species are spineless piles of goo. That’s not a value judgment: About 80 percent of the world’s species are invertebrates, which actually do lack spines.

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Metaphorically, though, it is we who are the spineless piles of goo, for standing by while these creatures disappear. A new report from the Zoological Society of London found that one-fifth of invertebrates “could be at risk of extinction,” the BBC reports.

Many of these crabs, dragonflies, bees, and other less appealing creepy crawly things live in the water which we have made filthy. Also, you know, climate change.

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We’re going to recommend that environmentalists take the tactic here of asking people to “Save the Lobsters.” Because lobsters, unlike other invertebrates like mosquitos, taste amazing in butter. But then again, Grist List has never tried butter-basted mosquitos. With sufficient butter, they’re probably delicious! Hey, save the mosquitos!