Vertebrates (most of the phylum chordata) are animals with a vertebral column, also known as a spine or backbone. They are commonly split into five "classes": mammalia (mammals), aves (birds), reptilia (reptiles), amphibia (amphibians), and pisces (fish). Of course, these are just broad classifications, but they give a good impression of what animals are classed as vertebrates. One of the biggest challenges in designing vertebrates is getting the proportions of each appendage correct whilst maintaining "volume" to give the appearance of muscle. To increase realism, texture can be added such as with the turtle shell below, or even scales and feathers.

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