invertebrate
Sign in to saveInvertebrates are animals that neither develop nor retain a vertebral column (commonly known as a spine or backbone), which evolved from the notochord. It is a paraphyletic grouping including all animals excluding the chordate subphylum Vertebrata, i.e. vertebrates. Well-known phyla of invertebrates include arthropods, molluscs, annelids, echinoderms, flatworms, cnidarians, and sponges.
AI overview
Invertebrates are animals without a spine or backbone, making up the vast majority of animal species on Earth and including familiar groups like insects, squid, worms, and starfish. They matter because understanding these diverse animals—which range from tiny sponges to large octopuses—is essential to understanding the full picture of animal life and ecosystems.
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Article
21 sectionsContents
- Etymology
- Taxonomic significance
- Number of extant species
- Characteristics
- Morphology and symmetry
- Nervous system
- Respiratory system
- Hearing
- Reproduction
- Reproductive systems
- Social interaction
- Phyla
- Classification
- History
- Classification
- Significance
- In research
- See also
- References
- Further reading
- External links
Invertebrates are animals that neither develop nor retain a vertebral column (commonly known as a spine or backbone), which evolved from the notochord. It is a paraphyletic grouping including all animals excluding the chordate subphylum Vertebrata, i.e. vertebrates. Well-known phyla of invertebrates include arthropods, molluscs, annelids, echinoderms, flatworms, cnidarians, and sponges.
The majority of animal species are invertebrates; one estimate puts the figure at 97%. Many invertebrate taxa have a greater number and diversity of species than the entire subphylum of Vertebrata. Invertebrates vary widely in size, from 10 μm (0.0004 in) myxozoans to the 9–10 m (30–33 ft) colossal squid.