8. Explain the difference between a vertebrate and an invertebrate.

Vertebrates have a backbone or spinal column, have an internal skeleton made of bone, an advanced nervous system with a developed brain and have outer covering of protective cellular skin. Invertebrates have no backbone, no cell walls. They are heterotrophic and tend to be small and slow moving.

A vertebrate has a spinal cord while an invertebrate has no spinal cord.