An animal that lacks a backbone or spinal column. Invertebrates include insects, worms, mollusks, and many other groups, representing about 97% of all animal species.
From Latin 'in-' meaning 'not' and 'vertebra' meaning 'joint of the spine.' The term was coined by French naturalist Jean-Baptiste Lamarck in 1801 to distinguish these animals from vertebrates.
Invertebrates are the true rulers of Earth - they make up 97% of all animal species and include everything from microscopic tardigrades that can survive in space to giant squids with eyes the size of dinner plates! Without invertebrates like bees and beetles, most flowering plants couldn't reproduce.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.