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Some invertebrate characteristics are shared across the board. For example, the one main characteristic that sets them apart from other animals is their lack of a backbone and spinal column. Also, despite the fact that they are multi-cellular, they in fact lack cell walls.

Due to their lack of complex skeletal system, invertebrates also tend to be smaller and slow moving in nature, but there are of course exceptions. Giant squids, for example, can grow to be upwards of 17 yards long, 2,200 pounds, and can reach speeds of 35 miles per hour.

Their lack of backbones and complex nervous systems make it very difficult for invertebrates to be adaptive to multiple environments as well. This is not to say that they all float in the ocean. Invertebrates can be found in myriad climate zones, ranging from dry deserts to swamplands. In fact, they essentially span the entire globe and even make up 98% of all the living creatures on this planet.

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14y ago

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