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Invertebrates

The squid is a type of invertebrate animal
Author: Carl Chun

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What are invertebrates?

Invertebrates are animals that do not have backbones, also called vertebrae or spinal bones.

How are they classified?

Invertebrates as a group do not have a specific classification. Since vertebrates are classified by the chordate subphylum vertebrata, invertebrates are any other animal that is classified outside of that class.

Are there a lot of invertebrate species?

Mammals, amphibians, reptiles, fish, and birds all have vertebrae. This might seem like a lot of the animals you know, but all these animals make up less than 4% of the total animals species. This means that over 96% of all the animal species on Earth are invertebrates.

What are some invertebrate animals?
Big and Small

The largest of the invertebrates is the colossal squid. It can grow to over 40 feet long and weigh over 1,000 pounds. The longest invertebrate is the ribbon worm which can grow to 180 feet long. The smallest invertebrate is the rotifer, or wheel animal, which can be as small as 50um. Way too small to see with just your eyes.


Blue Land Crab
Source: USFWS
Fun Facts about Invertebrates

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