Question

A nudibranch is a jelly-bodied animal that lives in shallow ocean waters. They range in size from less than an inch to 12 inches, and they have a life cycle of up to one year.

How would you classify a nudibranch: vertebrate or invertebrate? Be sure to justify your answer.

Answer 1

Nudibranchs are classified as invertebrates. This classification is justified because invertebrates are animals that do not possess a backbone or vertebral column. Nudibranchs, which belong to the class Gastropoda within the phylum Mollusca, lack any form of internal skeleton or backbone, characteristic of invertebrate animals. Additionally, they have a soft, jelly-like body structure. Therefore, based on their anatomical features and classification, nudibranchs are clearly invertebrates.