Earth is a unique planet. It is the only known planet in this vast universe having life. There are different varieties of living organisms in which it is majorly divided into plants and animals.
Animals are further divided into many groups. Vertebrates and Invertebrates are two different groups in which the animal kingdom is divided.
Key Takeaways
- Vertebrates are animals with a backbone or spinal column, while invertebrates are animals without a backbone.
- Vertebrates have a well-defined brain and complex nervous system, while invertebrates have a less complex one.
- Vertebrates include mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish, while invertebrates include insects, spiders, crustaceans, mollusks, and worms.
Vertebrates vs Invertebrates
Vertebrates are animals without backbones and include mammals, amphibians, etc. Vertebrates comprise only 3% of animal species. Reproduction occurs through the sexual method. Invertebrates are animals with backbones. They include insects, etc. Invertebrates account for 95% of animal species.
Vertebrates are animals having spines. It has a defined body structure with a proper central nervous system. Vertebrates are very common animals, but they only consist of 3% of all known animal species, roughly 70,000.
According to body structure and function, they are further divided into five subparts.
Invertebrates are a major part of the animal kingdom as it includes more than 95% of animal species which is around 1.25 million species of animals and still more to discover.
It does not have a spine and a comparatively simpler body structure. It is a vast group that is further divided into many sub-parts.
Comparison Table
| Parameters of Comparison | Vertebrates | Invertebrates |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | It is a type of animal that has a spine. | It is the type of animal that does not have spines. |
| Respiration | They have specialized organs like gills and lungs for breathing. | They have various methods for breathing like some animals respire thorough skin. |
| Reproduction | They reproduce using the sexual method. | They reproduce using the asexual method. |
| Classification | They are further divided into five subparts. | They are further divided into thirty subparts. |
| Example | Snake, deer, lion, parrot are some examples of Vertebrates. | Snails, squid, spiders, crabs, earthworms are examples of Invertebrates. |
What is Vertebrates?
Vertebrates are animals having vertebral columns. Vertebrate is a Latin word meaning joint of the spine. It comprises approximately 70,000 animal species that comprise less than 5% of described animal species.
It consists of various animals like Paedophryne amanuensis, a type of frog of size 7.7 mm to 33 m blue whale.
It is a vast group with common features all the animals have a rod passing through the body made up of multiple numbers of bones, and the main nerve passing through it is known as the spine.
It has a complex and defined body structure. In the case of aquatic life, it has gills; in terrestrial life, it has lungs as a part of the respiratory system.
It originated 525 million years ago, and since then, it has been an evolutionary process that has led to many features that we can see now. It has a central nervous system as a complex body structure that runs through the vertebral column.
It is mainly divided into five sub-parts: fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals. Most of them reproduce by the sexual method. Some common examples of Vertebrates are goldfish (fish), frogs (amphibians), snakes (reptiles), pigeons (birds), and cows (mammals).
What is Invertebrates?
Invertebrates are animals that lack vertebral columns. They consist of a wide variety of animals in this group, it has around 1.25 million types of species, and scientists claim that there are still 30 million more species to discover. It is more than 95% of all animal species combined.
Invertebrates word is also made from the Latin word vertebra, here, prefix in means without. The major part of the animal kingdom consists of Invertebrates. Its size ranges from 0.002-inch rotifers to 30 – 33 feet colossal squid.
The oldest fossil of invertebrates is 665 million years old, indicating that many invertebrates, through evolution, changed into vertebrates.
The process of respiration is different for various organisms. Some have an open respiratory system. Some use their skin for the process. Some of them use the sexual method of reproduction, but a major part has adopted the asexual mode of reproduction.
The wide variety of invertebrates is very useful for us. More than 80% of flowers are pollinated by invertebrates, on which we are dependent for our food.
They reproduce rapidly, and they get mature in a few weeks; hence they are a good option for cultivation as they are a good source of protein. There is much other importance of invertebrates in our life that go unnoticed.
Main Differences Between Vertebrates and Invertebrates
- The main difference between Vertebrates and Invertebrates is that Vertebrates have a long column of bones with a spine, while Invertebrates do not have any such column and spine.
- Vertebrates have gills or lungs to breathe, on the other hand, Invertebrates have many ways, like some use skin to pass gases, and some use spiracles, etc.
- Most of the Vertebrates are warm-blooded animals which means their body remains constant, in contrast, Invertebrates belongs to the cold-blooded animal group, which means their body temperature changes according to the surrounding.
- Vertebrates comprise about 3% of the animal population on Earth, whereas Invertebrates include more than 95% of the animal population.
- The Vertebrates group of animal is further divided into five more sub-parts, on the other hand, Invertebrates is further divided into thirty sub-parts.
- https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.1201/9780429290916-2/relative-importance-vertebrate-invertebrate-herbivores-plant-population-dynamics-michael-crawley
- https://genomebiology.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/gb-2010-11-6-r59
Last Updated : 22 June, 2023
I’ve put so much effort writing this blog post to provide value to you. It’ll be very helpful for me, if you consider sharing it on social media or with your friends/family. SHARING IS ♥️
Piyush Yadav has spent the past 25 years working as a physicist in the local community. He is a physicist passionate about making science more accessible to our readers. He holds a BSc in Natural Sciences and Post Graduate Diploma in Environmental Science. You can read more about him on his bio page.
The examples provided for both vertebrates and invertebrates were very helpful in understanding the concept. Brilliant effort!
Agreed, the examples made it easier to grasp the differences between the two categories.
I found the information on invertebrates particularly fascinating. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.
I appreciate the detailed explanation of the five subparts of vertebrates and the thirty subparts of invertebrates. Great work!
Absolutely, the content is well-structured and informative.
This article provides valuable insights into the world of vertebrates and invertebrates. I learned a lot from reading it.
The article presents a comprehensive overview of vertebrates and invertebrates, from their definition to their relevance in different ecosystems.
Yes, the author did a great job in covering a wide range of important details.
The section on the significance of invertebrates in pollination and food cultivation was very enlightening. It highlights the importance of these organisms in our environment.
The ecological impact of invertebrates is a key aspect that goes unnoticed. This article does a great job in addressing this.
Absolutely, the article accentuates the crucial role of invertebrates in sustaining ecosystems.
Thank you for such an informative article. The comparison table is really helpful in understanding the differences between vertebrates and invertebrates.
I agree, this was a very insightful read.
The comparison table is particularly useful for quick reference. It provides an excellent summary of the differences between vertebrates and invertebrates.
I agree, the detailed comparison aids in understanding the nuances of each category.
Thank you for such a thorough examination of vertebrates and invertebrates. The clear distinction and detailed descriptions make this article an excellent source of knowledge.
I couldn’t agree more. This article is a valuable resource for understanding the diversity of animal species.
The historical and evolutionary aspects discussed in this article shed light on the development of vertebrates and invertebrates. Very engaging content!
Absolutely, the article delves into various aspects with great precision.
I couldn’t agree more; the depth of information provided is impressive.
The content is well-researched and compelling. It offers a comprehensive understanding of vertebrates and invertebrates.
Indeed, the scientific accuracy and clarity of the article are praiseworthy.