Animal Classification: Vertebrates and Invertebrates Worksheet

Question 1

A dog has a skeleton inside its body and a backbone. Is a dog a vertebrate or an invertebrate?

Accepted Answer

A dog is a vertebrate because it has a backbone and an internal skeleton.

Question 2

A jellyfish has no backbone. Is it a vertebrate or an invertebrate?

Accepted Answer

A jellyfish is an invertebrate because it does not have a backbone.

Question 3

Write one important difference between vertebrates and invertebrates.

Accepted Answer

One important difference is that vertebrates have a backbone, while invertebrates do not have a backbone.

Question 4

A robin is a bird. Birds have backbones. Should a robin be classified as a vertebrate or an invertebrate?

Accepted Answer

A robin should be classified as a vertebrate because birds have backbones.

Question 5

Classify these animals into two groups: frog, spider, fish, worm, cat, ant.

Accepted Answer

The vertebrates are frog, fish, and cat because they have backbones. The invertebrates are spider, worm, and ant because they do not have backbones.

Question 6

A student says, "All animals with shells are vertebrates." Is this statement correct? Explain.

Accepted Answer

This statement is not correct. Some animals with shells, such as snails, are invertebrates because they do not have backbones.

Question 7

An octopus has soft arms and no bones in its body. Is it a vertebrate or an invertebrate?

Accepted Answer

An octopus is an invertebrate because it does not have a backbone.

Question 8

Name one vertebrate animal and describe one trait that helps classify it as a vertebrate.

Accepted Answer

One example is a horse. A horse is a vertebrate because it has a backbone.

Question 9

Name one invertebrate animal and describe one trait that helps classify it as an invertebrate.

Accepted Answer

One example is a butterfly. A butterfly is an invertebrate because it does not have a backbone.

Question 10

A turtle has a shell, legs, and a backbone. Is it a vertebrate or an invertebrate? Explain.

Accepted Answer

A turtle is a vertebrate because it has a backbone, even though it also has a shell.

Question 11

Why do scientists sort animals into groups such as vertebrates and invertebrates?

Accepted Answer

Scientists sort animals into groups to compare their traits, study them more easily, and understand how different animals are alike and different.

Question 12

A crab has a hard outer covering called an exoskeleton, but it does not have a backbone. Is it a vertebrate or an invertebrate?

Accepted Answer

A crab is an invertebrate because it has no backbone, even though it has a hard outer covering.

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