What are Invertebrates? ANIMAL LEARNING FOR EVERYONE #animallover #animallearning

An invertebrate animal is an animal that does not have a backbone or a vertebral column. Invertebrates make up more than 90% of all living animal species and include many different kinds of animals such as insects, worms, mollusks, crustaceans, cenodarians, and sponges 12. Some examples of invertebrate animals are octopus, starfish, butterfly, slug, lobster, worm, ladybug. Invertebrates are animals that don't have a backbone. The vertebral column is another name for the backbone. Over 90% of all species on earth are invertebrates and invertebrate species have been found in the fossil record as far back as 600 million years ago. Molecular biology studies suggest that all invertebrates evolved from a single invertebrate Characteristics of invertebrates in addition to not having a backbone. Invertebrates have soft bodies because they don't have an internal skeleton endoskeleton for support. Instead, many have structures on the outside exoskeleton that provide support and protection. In addition, invertebrates are cold-blooded, meaning they can't regulate their body temperature, so it changes depending on the environment. Invertebrates are incredibly diverse. They live in fresh water, salt water, on land and as parasites in other animals. There are invertebrates that are carnivorous meat eaters, herbivores plant eaters, and omnivores meat and plant eaters. There are even some invertebrate species that grow bacteria and cells inside their bodies that make their food. Some invertebrates stay in one spot while others fly, swim, float, crawl, and grow. Let's learn about the invertebrate animals.