Vertebrates &

Invertebrates
SCIENCE standards:
S5L1Students will classify organisms into groups and
relate how they determined the groups with how and why
scientists use classification.
a. Demonstrate how animals are sorted into groups
(vertebrate and invertebrate) and how vertebrates are sorted
into groups (fish, amphibian, reptile, bird, and mammal).

The Animal Kingdom

Multi-cellular (has many cells)
Cannot make their own food, they are
heterotrophs (must get energy by eating
plants and other animals
Are either vertebrates or invertebrates
Vertebrates fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds
or mammals
Invertebrates sponges, segmented worms,
echinoderms, mollusks, and arthropods

Vertebrates
ANIMALS WITH A BACKBONE!
Shared characteristics of vertebrates:
Backbone
Protective skin covering
Inside skeleton
Muscles
Blood that circulates through blood vessels
Lungs or gills for breathing

Vertebrates are divided into 5

groups:
Fish
Amphibians
Reptiles
Mammals
Birds

Vertebrate- Fish
Have backbones
Cold-blooded
(ectothermic)
Obtain oxygen in
water through gills
Most lay eggs
Have scales
Have fins
Live in water

Vertebrate- Amphibians
Have backbones
Cold-blooded (ectothermic)
Can breathe in water with
gills early in life and breathe
on land with lungs as adults
Lay jelly-like eggs
Major groups are frogs,
toads, and salamanders

Vertebrate- Reptiles
Have backbones
Cold-blooded (ectothermic)
Breathe with lungs
Most lay eggs
In some reptiles the eggs hatch inside the
mother
Have scales or plates

Vertebrates- Mammals
Have backbones
Warm-blooded (endothermic)
Breathe with lungs
Have babies that are born alive
Have fur or hair
Produce milk to feed their young

Vertebrates- Birds
Have backbones
Are warm-blooded (endothermic)
Breathe with lungs
Lay eggs
Have feathers
Have a beak
Two wings
Two feet

InvertebratesANIMALS WITHOUT A BACKBONE!

97% of ALL animals are invertebrates
Largest group of invertebrates are the
arthropods

Invertebrates- Sponges

Very simple animals

Have many pores (holes) through which water
flows
Water moves into a ventral cavity and out
through a hole in the top
Sponges obtain their food and eliminate wastes
through this passage of water
Live in fresh or salt water

Invertebrates- Segmented Worms

Have long tube-like bodies
that are divided into
segments
Simplest organisms with a
true nervous system
Have a long digestive tube
that runs down the length
of the worms body
Examples: earthworms
and leeches

Invertebrates- Echinoderms
Similar parts
(arms) that
extend from the
middle body
outwards
They have tube
feet and spines
Examples:
starfish, brittle
stars, sea
cucumbers, or
sea urchins

Invertebrates- Arthropods
Have jointed legs
Live on land and in water
Have hard outer
coverings called exoskeletons
Have segmented bodies
and some have wings
Examples: insects,
spiders, and crustaceans

Invertebrates- Mollusks
Have soft bodies
Most have a thick muscular
foot for movement or to open
and close their shells
Live in salt or fresh water
or on land
Some have shells
Examples: snails, clams
and octopi