Invertebrate is a kind of animal that does not have a spinal column or backbone. It is the opposite of vertebrate, that means if an animal is not a vertebrate (fish, reptile, amphibian, bird, or mammal), it is an invertebrate. Some examples of invertebrate animals are:

• Arthropods (arachnids, insects, and others);
• Mollusks (octopuses, squids, and others);
• Worms

Insects have no bones, but they have a form of skeleton (rigid framework of the body), that scientists call an exoskeleton, because it forms the outer part of the insect's body, like our skin.

Sharks, and related skates and rays, are vertebrates with cartilage instead of bones.

Animals | Invertebrates

Безгръбначни | Invertebrat | Infertebrat | Invertebrat | Wirbellose | Selgrootud | Invertebrate | Invertebrado | بی‌مهرگان | Invertébré | Beskralješnjaci | Invertebrata | חסרי חוליות | Bestuburiai | Invertebrat | Ongewerveld | 無脊椎動物 | Virvelløse dyr | Bezkręgowce | Invertebrado | Беспозвоночные | Бескичмењаци | Selkärangattomat | Evertebrater | Incronzoxhî | 无脊椎动物