Classifying Invertebrates

Classifying Invertebrates

by Matt Toktosun

​Classifying Invertebrates

​Invertebrates are animals without backbones. There are many different groups of invertebrates. Only a few of them are described here.

Multiple Choice

Invertebrates are animals with backbones.

• True

• False

​Molluscs

​Molluscs are animals with soft bodies.

They have a muscular feet which they use to move around. Some molluscs have shells. Slugs, snails and octopuses are molluscs.

Multiple Choice

Slugs, snails and octopuses are molluscs.

• annelids

• molluscs

• mammals

• birds

​Annelids

​Annelids are worms with bodies

divided up into rings (segments).

They do not have legs but they do

have tiny bristles called chaetae.

Earthworms are annelids.

Multiple Choice

Annelids do not have legs but they do have tiny bristles called ______.

• legs

• chaetae

• shells

• bones

​Arthropods

​Arthropods are invertebrates with jointed legs. Their bodies are divided into segments. Arthropods have a skeleton on the outside of their bodies, called an exoskeleton.

Arthropods are the most common kinds of animals on Earth. There are several different groups of arthropods.

​Insects

​Insects are arthropods with six jointed legs. Their bodies are divided into three parts-a head, thorax and abdomen. Each of these parts is made up of several segments. Most insects have two pairs of wings attached to their thorax. The legs are also attached to the thorax. They have one pair of antennae on their head.

​Arachnids

​Arachnids are arthropods with eight

jointed legs. They do not have wings or antennae. Spiders and scorpions are arthropods.

​Crustaceans

​Crustaceans are arthropods with an, especially tough exoskeleton. They have more than four pairs

of jointed legs. They have two pairs of antennae.

Lobsters, water fleas, and woodlice are crustaceans.

​Myriapods

​Myriapods are arthropods with many pairs of jointed legs. They have one pair of antennae. Millipedes and centipedes are myriapods.

​Summary

• ​Invertebrates are animals without backbones.

• Some important invertebrate groups are the molluscs, annelids and arthropods.

• Arthropods are divided into four main groups: insects, arachnids, crustaceans and myriapods.

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is an invertebrate?

• Cat

• Snail

• Goldfish

• Humans

Multiple Choice

What does invertebrate mean?

• Animals without a backbone

• Animals that change their form

• Animals with a backbone

• Animals that lay eggs

Multiple Choice

A butterfly is a type of vertebrate.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

I have a soft-body, a hard shell, and live on land and water.  What am I?

• Mollusk
• Arthropod
• Echinoderm
• Cnidarian

Multiple Choice

Between 90-95% of all animals on earth can be classified as _____.

• invertebrates
• vertebrates
• reptiles
• mammals

Multiple Choice

Which classification does this animal belong in?

• Insect

• Sponge

Multiple Choice

I have a hard exoskeleton, a segmented body, pairs of jointed appendages, and live on land and water.  I am a crab.  What is my phylum?

• Mollusk
• Arthropod
• Echinoderm
• Cnidarian

Multiple Choice

I have three pairs of legs and a body divided into three sections.  As a butterfly, I have wings.

• Echinoderm
• Annelid
• Arthropod
• Mollusk

Multiple Choice

Is this animal an invertebrate or a vertebrate?

• Invertebrate
• Vertebrate