Putting plants and animals into orderly groups based on similar characteristics is called
Classification
100
Organisms are thought to be closely related when they have
many characteristics in common
100
Who simplified the naming of living things by giving each species a two-part scientific name?
Carolus Linnaeus
100
The more closely related living things are to each other, the more
characteristics they share
100
All genus names begin with a(n) __________
capital letter
200
Classifying living things helps human beings
make sense of the world
200
The division of organisms into groups, or classes, based on specific characteristics
classification
200
In the scientific name for the Asian elephant, Elephas maximus, the word Elephas indicates the animal's ____.
genus
200
What is a group of organisms that are closely related and can mate to produce fertile offspring called?
species
200
All specific names begin with a(n) __________
lowercase letter
300
Each domain of organisms is divided into several
kingdoms
300
Before the 1600s, scientists divided organisms into what two groups
Plants and animals
300
Bears, lions, and house cats give birth to live young, and lions and house cats have retractable claws. Which of the three types of animals are most closely related?
lions and house cats
300
How was the naming of organisms different before Carolus Linnaeus, and how was the system difficult for scientists?
Before Linnaeus, scholars used names that had as many as 12 words to identify species. The system was difficult because scientists always refer to organisms using the same names.
300
No matter how many common names an organism might have, it only has one ____________, which is a combination of the genus name and specific name.
scientific name
400
In order from largest (broadest) to smallest (most specific) what are the eight levels of classification?
domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, species
400
The plural form of the word phylum
phyla
400
How many levels of classification do scientists use today?
8
400
Taxonomy is the science of
Describing, classifying, and naming organisms
400
What Swedish scientist created the first organized, modern taxonomy?
Carolus Linnaeus
500
The smallest, most specific classification level is
species
500
All organisms are classified into
one of three domains
500
Why are the platypus, brown bear, lion, and house cat thought to be related to each other?
They all have hair and mammary glands.
500
Today, a system of classification similar to the system developed by Carolus Linnaeus
is still used
500
What characteristics do the bear, lion, and house cat have that the platypus does not have?