Question

Jack learned that mice, turtles, and snakes have backbones. He also found out that earthworms, butterflies, and lobsters do not have backbones. He classified the animals into vertebrates and invertebrates.





Why are Jack’s groupings incorrect?

Butterflies are vertebrates.
Mice are invertebrates.
Earthworms are vertebrates.
Lobsters are invertebrates.

Answer 1

They’re wrong because vertebrates are animals that have backbones and invertebrates do not. The correct classification is:

- Mice — vertebrates (have backbones)
- Turtles, snakes — vertebrates
- Butterflies — invertebrates (insects)
- Earthworms — invertebrates (annelids)
- Lobsters — invertebrates (crustaceans)

So of the four statements given, the first three are incorrect (butterflies, mice, earthworms are misclassified) and only “Lobsters are invertebrates” is correct.