Zoology
Invertebrate
An animal without a backbone. Invertebrates include insects, spiders, worms, mollusks, and crustaceans—comprising over 95% of all animal species.
Biological Context
Invertebrates achieve structure through exoskeletons, hydrostatic pressure, or distributed support systems. Many are enormously successful—insects alone outnumber all vertebrates combined. Invertebrate nervous systems range from simple nerve nets to complex cephalopod brains.
Business Application
Invertebrate organizations lack rigid central hierarchy—networks, cooperatives, decentralized autonomous organizations. They achieve coordination through distributed mechanisms rather than central command. Often more flexible but harder to scale.