Classification Basics
The branch of biology that organizes organisms into groups based on shared characteristics.
What is taxonomy?
The two-part scientific naming system developed by Linnaeus.
What is binomial nomenclature?
The study of evolutionary history and relationships among species.
What is phylogeny?
Bacteria, Archaea, and Eukarya.
What are the three domains?
A tool that helps scientists identify organisms based on physical traits using a step-by-step process.
What is a dichotomous key?
The scientist who developed the binomial nomenclature system.
Who is Carl Linnaeus?
A scientific name must be written in italics (or underlined), with the genus capitalized and the species in lowercase.
What is the correct way to write a scientific name?
A diagram that shows evolutionary relationships based on shared characteristics.
What is a cladogram?
Mushrooms.
What is Fungi?
A way to visualize a newly evolved trait on a cladogram that distinguishes a specific group of organisms from their ancestors.
What is a branching point?
Order is broader than family in the classification hierarchy.
Which taxon is broader: family or order?
The genus and species.
What two parts make up a species' scientific name?
DNA and protein comparisons show how closely different species are related.
What is molecular data?
Includes only autotrophic and multicellular organisms.
What is Plantae?
A newly evolved trait that distinguishes a specific group of organisms from their ancestors.
What is a derived characteristic?
The taxa in proper order.
What is Domain, Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species?
Latin is a universal, unchanging language that prevents confusion in naming species.
Why is Latin used for scientific names?
A method of estimating how long ago two species diverged by analyzing DNA mutations.
What is the role of a molecular clock?
Archaea
Which domain includes unicellular prokaryotes that live in extreme environments?
A dichotomous key helps identify an organism, while a cladogram shows evolutionary relationships.
What is the difference between a dichotomous key and a cladogram?
Scientists compare physical traits, genetic information, and evolutionary history to classify an organism.
What is the process of classifying organisms using phylogeny?
A genus includes multiple species, while a species is a single, distinct type of organism.
What is the difference between a genus and a species?
Different languages use different common names, which can cause confusion; scientific names are universal.
Why are scientific names useful?
The difference between Protista and Plantae.
What is Protists can be unicellular or multicellular and may be autotrophic or heterotrophic, while plants are always multicellular and autotrophic
Describe how to use a dichotomous key to identify an organism.
What is to use a dichotomous key, start at the first paired statement and choose the description that best fits the organism, continuing through the steps until the correct identification is reached?