What is an invertebrate?

Invertebrates are animals that lack the backbone and internal skeleton. These species of animals are the most abundant group of animals. Invertebrates makeup 95% of all animal species and form about 30 phyla. Examples of invertebrates are worms, insects, and crustaceans. Some invertebrates, especially arthropods, have an exoskeleton, which is a fibrous substance that consists of polysaccharides.

One major reason why there are lots of invertebrates is that they reproduce quickly. Invertebrates are classified majorly into the following categories: Porifera, Arthropoda, Cnidaria, Echinodermata, Ctenophora, Nematoda, Annelida, Mollusca, and Platyhelminthes.

The word 'invertebrate' is a biological term which refers to an animal that does not have a backbone ( vertebral column). This is actually what differentiates a vertebrate from an invertebrate. Invertebrates are also a part of the animal kingdom, and they constitute about 96% of animal species in the whole world. This simply shows that invertebrates are in abundance with several species. Examples of invertebrates are cnidarians, mollusks, arachnids, arthropods, annelids, etc. The fact that invertebrates do not have vertebral columns does not mean that they are soft and that they can't have a rigid body.

Some crustaceans have a rigid body; they support their bodies with a form of the skeleton known as a hydrostatic skeleton, and others support theirs with exoskeletons. Invertebrates also undergo metamorphosis, and their own occurs in stages, and they have a different look at their different stages of development. It is important to know that some invertebrates can also form big colonies.

An invertebrate is a creature that lacks the backbone, such as a mollusk or annelid. In addition to not having a functional spinal column, invertebrates possess soft bodies because they lack a supportive internal skeleton and protection. Vertebrates are mammals like humans, lizards, cats, dogs, and horses. Vertebrates have a backbone and a skeleton.

Invertebrates are very dissimilar, and they exist in freshwater, saltwater, and on land as parasites in other animals. Some invertebrates are carnivores, while some are herbivores. Earthworms, starfish, squids, and spiders are all invertebrates. The majority of all creatures in the animal kingdom are invertebrates at about 90%, which would leave a meager 10% left for those that are vertebrate.

Animals are classified into vertebrates and invertebrates based on the presence of the backbone. Invertebrates are animals that do not have or develop vertebral columns, which are derived from the notochord. In general, invertebrates are soft-bodied animals that lack an internal skeleton for the attachment of muscles, but most of these animals possess a hard outer skeleton that serves for body protection.

Examples of invertebrates are arthropods, annelids, cnidarians, and mollusks. Animals in these phyla include insects, spiders, snails, clams, worms, jellyfish, lobsters, and crabs. Over 90% of all living animal species are invertebrates. Invertebrate animals are distributed between more than 35 phyla, while all vertebrate animals belong to a single phylum.