Did Echinoderms Have Backbone?

Echinoderms are marine invertebrates. ... Vertebrate chordates have a backbone, while invertebrate chordates do not. Invertebrate chordates include tunicates and lancelets; both are primitive marine organisms.

Are echinoderms vertebrates?

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 a spine?

Echinoderm skeletons are made up of interlocking calcium carbonate plates and spines. This skeleton is enclosed by the epidermis and is thus an endoskeleton. In some, such as sea urchins, the plates fit together tightly.