Last year, readers overwhelmingly chose one of those vital invertebrates, the common earthworm, the graceful soil-maker, which won a landslide 38% of the popular vote.
We’re asking readers from around the world to nominate their favourite spineless species for our second Invertebrate of the Year competition.
Will you choose one of the myxozoans, the smallest animals ever known to have lived, at 10 micrometres in size (a fifth of the diameter of a human hair) or the 14-metre long, half-tonne colossal squid?.
Invertebrates make up the vast majority of animals on Earth – at last 1.3 million species.
Bringing up the rear with 0.8% of the vote in the UK contest last year was the invasive Asian or yellow-legged hornet, despite being championed by Chris Packham.
