Vertebrata

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Vertebrata \Ver`te*bra"ta\, n. pl. [NL.] (Zool.)
     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.
     [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  Vertebrata
       n : fishes; amphibians; reptiles; birds; mammals [syn: {subphylum
           Vertebrata}, {Craniata}, {subphylum Craniata}]