Oct 28, 2025 · Vertebrate, any animal of the subphylum Vertebrata. They have backbones and are also characterized by a muscular system consisting primarily of bilaterally paired masses and a …

Animals with backbones are called vertebrates. They comprise one of the best-known groups of animals and include fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals, including…

Oct 24, 2025 · Chordate, any member of the phylum Chordata, which includes the vertebrates, the most highly evolved animals, as well as two other subphyla—the tunicates and cephalochordates.

A vertebrate is an animal with a backbone. (An invertebrate is an animal without a backbone.) Fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals, including humans, are all…

Nov 26, 2025 · Invertebrate, any animal that lacks a vertebral column, or backbone, in contrast to the cartilaginous or bony vertebrates. Apart from the absence of a vertebral column, …

Meta description: Hear the pronunciation of vertebrate in American English, spoken by real native speakers. From North America's leading language experts, Britannica Dictionary

vertebrate (noun) vertebrate / ˈ vɚtəbrət/ noun plural vertebrates Britannica Dictionary definition of VERTEBRATE [count] biology : an animal that has a backbone — compare invertebrate

Oct 17, 2025 · Vertebral column, in vertebrate animals, the flexible column extending from neck to tail, made of bones called vertebrae. The major function of the vertebral column is to protect …

An invertebrate is an animal without a backbone. (An animal with a backbone is called a vertebrate.) Invertebrates live in every part of the world. In fact, most of the…

Oct 28, 2025 · A fish is any of approximately 34,000 species of vertebrate animals found in the world’s fresh and salt waters. The term fish is applied to a variety of vertebrates of several …