Homework Help: Science: Biology: Invertebrates

Invertebrates, explained as simply as possible, are any livings creatures that have no backbone. There are hundreds of phyla that are part of the invertebrate group, including sponges, flatworms, stinging-cell animals, and arthropods. With all of the of invertebrates combined, there are over a million different invertebrate species total, and much more to be discovered. A huge majority of the world's living things are invertebrates.

A majority of invertebrates have 'armor' on the outside of their body that can protect them from enemies, weather, etc. Sometimes this 'armor' is called the shell of the invertebrates. For example, we've all seen clams laying around, but they're protected by the hard shell. Other invertebrates have an exoskeleton as their 'armor,' such as beetles, crabs, or spiders.

Although a majority of all invertebrates have 'armor,' there are still many out there that have very soft bodies, and at the same time seem to need none of it at all. Flatworms, sea anemone, and roundworms all have extremely soft bodies, move around slowly, but at the same time have no 'armor.'

Sponges, Stinging-cell Animals, Arthropods, Roundworms, and Mollusks are all names of phyla of the invertebrates. As said before, there are over one million species of invertebrates. Don't forget that all of the insects you see out there are invertebrates, and so are the spiders.

Homework Help: Science: Biology

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