Echinoderms are marine invertebrates. They include sea stars, sand dollars, and feather stars. They have a spiny endoskeleton. ... Vertebrate chordates have a backbone, while invertebrate chordates do not.

Is a echinoderm a vertebrate?

Echinoderms are deuterostome invertebrate animals, phylogenetically most closely related to hemichordates and to chordates. They are exclusively marine-living, with a wide range of habitats from the deep sea to the intertidal region.

Do echinoderms have spines?

The characteristics that distinguish Phylum Echinodermata are: radial symmetry, internal skeleton, and water-vascular system. ... Many echinoderms have spines. In fact, the word 'Echinodermata' means 'spiny skinned'. The spines also are part of the internal skeleton and are covered by epidermis.