Invertebrates - Somma Science pores throughout their body, are from the phylum Porifera. Crabs and...

Invertebrates Name:_________________________________________Class:__________Date:____________Vocabulary

Term Definition

cartilage Firmtissuethatprovidesflexiblesupportinanimalskeletons.

invertebrates Animalsthatlackbackbones.vertebrates Animalsthathavebackbonesofbonesorcartilage.

cartilage Firmtissuethatprovidesflexiblesupportinanimalskeletons.

How are these jellyfish like an insect? Jellyfishandinsectsdon'tseemtohavemuchincommon.Theylookmuchdifferent.Theyliveinverydifferentenvironments.Butbothoftheseanimalsareclassifiedasinvertebrates. What Are Invertebrates? Animalsareoftenidentifiedasbeingeitherinvertebratesorvertebrates.Thesearetermsbasedontheskeletonsoftheanimals.Vertebrateshaveabackbonemadeofboneorcartilage(cartilageisaflexiblesupportivetissue.Youhavecartilageinyourearlobes.).Invertebrates,ontheotherhand,havenobackbone.Invertebrateslivejustaboutanywhere.Therearesomanyinvertebratesonthisplanet

thatitisimpossibletocountthemall.Thereareprobablybillionsofbillionsofinvertebrates.Theycomeinmanyshapesandsizes,livepracticallyanywhereandprovidemanyservicesthatarevitalforthesurvivalofotherorganisms,includingus.Theyhavebeenobservedintheupperreachesoftheatmosphere,inthedriestofthedesertsandinthecanopiesofthewettestrainforests.TheycanevenbefoundinthefrozenAntarcticoronthedeepestpartsoftheoceanfloor.

Snailsareanexampleofinvertebrates,animalswithoutabackbone.AllvertebrateorganismsareinthephylumChordata.Invertebrates,whichmakeupabout95%(ormore)oftheanimalkingdom,aredividedintoover30differentphyla,someofwhicharelistedinthetable.Numerousinvertebratephylahavejustafewspecies;somehaveonlyonedescribedspecies,yettheseareclassifiedintoseparatephylabecauseoftheiruniquecharacteristics.Forexample,sponges,withporesthroughouttheirbody,arefromthephylumPorifera.Crabsand

lobsters,withjointedappendages,arefromthephylumArthropoda.Phylum Meaning Examples

Porifera Porebearer SpongesCnidaria Stingingnettle Jellyfish,coralsPlatyhelminthes Flatworms Flatworms,tapewormsNematoda Threadlike Nematodes,heartwormMollusca Soft Snails,clamsAnnelida Littlering Earthworms,leechesArthropoda Jointedfoot Insects,crabsEchinodermata Spinyskin Seastars,seaurchins

Summary

• Invertebratesareanimalswithoutabackbone.• Invertebratesincludeinsects,earthworms,jellyfish,andmanyotheranimals.

Review 1. Whatarethreeexamplesofinvertebrates?

2. Howdoyoudetermineifananimalisaninvertebrate?

3. Aboutwhatpercentoftheanimalkingdomiscomposedofinvertebrates?