(n.pl.) One of the grand divisions of the animal kingdom, comprising all animals that have a backbone composed of bony or cartilaginous vertebrae, together with Amphioxus in which the backbone is represented by a simple undivided notochord. The Vertebrata always have a dorsal or neural, cavity above the notochord or backbone, and a ventral or visceral, cavity below it. The subdivisions or classes of Vertebrata are Mammalia, Aves, Reptilia, Amphibia, Pisces, Marsipobranchia, and Leptocardia.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
| APA | Webster's. (2011). Vertebrata. Retrieved September 20, 2026, from http://smartdefine.org/vertebrata/definitions/2079361 |
| Chicago | Webster's. 2011. "Vertebrata" http://smartdefine.org/vertebrata/definitions/2079361 (accessed September 20, 2026). |
| Harvard | Webster's 2011, Vertebrata, Smart Define, viewed 20 September, 2026, <http://smartdefine.org/vertebrata/definitions/2079361>. |
| MLA | Webster's. "Vertebrata" 28 May 2011. Web. 20 September 2026. <http://smartdefine.org/vertebrata/definitions/2079361> |