Innate immunity serves as the first and most immediate line of defense in all living organisms, providing essential protection against a wide spectrum of microbial infections while maintaining homeostasis amid continuous exposure to environmental pathogens. This branch of the immune system is evolutionarily ancient and fundamentally conserved across metazoans. It operates through rapid, nonspecific mechanisms that detect and neutralize invading microbes, thus preventing the establishment and spread of infection (Bisola et al., 2024; Pull & McMahon, 2020). Remarkably, more than 95% of all animal species on Earth are invertebrates, which entirely lack the classical acquired or adaptive immune system characteristic of vertebrates. Unlike vertebrates, invertebrates do not develop immunological memory or antigen-specific immune responses mediated by specialized lymphocytes. Instead, their defense relies exclusively on a robust and sophisticated innate immune system composed of physical and chemical barriers, humoral responses, and cellular immunity (Müller et al., 2013; Sharrock & Sun, 2020). While inherently less diverse in molecular components compared to vertebrate immunity, the innate immune repertoire of invertebrates is nevertheless highly efficient and tailored for rapid recognition and elimination of pathogens, contributing to their evolutionary success in diverse habitats.