Classification Basics
What are the two parts of a scientific name?
✅ Answer: Genus and species
👉 Follow-Up:
Which one is capitalized?
Which are more closely related?
A. Same genus
B. Same kingdom
✅ Answer: Same genus
Multicellular, makes its own food
✅ Answer: Plantae
Organisms that make their own food
✅ Answer: Producers
True or False: All photosynthetic organisms are plants
❌ Answer: False
Which taxonomic level is MOST specific?
✅ Answer: Species
👉 Follow-Up:
Why is it most specific?
A researcher is comparing four mammals:
Which statement best describes their evolutionary relationships?
The tiger and lion are more closely related to each other than to the domestic cat
Unicellular, no nucleus, lives in normal environments
✅ Answer: Eubacteria
Break down dead organisms
✅ Answer: Decomposers (fungi)
True or False: Organisms that look alike are always closely related
❌ Answer: False
👉 Follow-Up:
What’s better evidence?
Put these in order (most specific → most general):
Genus, Family, Species
✅ Answer: Species → Genus → Family
👉 Follow-Up:
What comes after family?
Which pair is MORE closely related?
A. Same family
B. Same order
✅ Answer: Same family
👉 Follow-Up:
Why?
Unicellular, extreme environments, no nucleus
✅ Answer: Archaea
What happens if decomposers disappear?
✅ Answer: Nutrients are not recycled
Which is correct?
A. Classification is based only on appearance
B. Classification uses genetics and evolution
Classification uses genetics and evolution
Why do scientists use taxonomy?
✅ Answer: To classify and identify organisms consistently
👉 Follow-Up:
What problem does it prevent?
Two organisms share kingdom, phylum, and class—but NOT order.
Are they closely related?
✅ Answer: Somewhat, but not as closely as if they shared order
👉 Follow-Up:
What would make them more closely related?
Can be unicellular, may photosynthesize OR consume food
✅ Answer: Protista
Why are protists important in aquatic ecosystems?
✅ Answer: They are producers
True or False: Fungi make their own food
❌ Answer: False
👉 Follow-Up:
What do they do instead?
Two organisms look identical but have different DNA.
Same species?
❌ Answer: No
A. Canis lupus & Canis latrans
B. Canis lupus & Felis catus
👉 Which pair is MORE closely related?
✅ Correct: A
An organism is unicellular and photosynthetic.
Which kingdom?
✅ Answer: Protista
A decrease in phytoplankton occurs. What happens next?
✅ Answer: Primary consumers decrease
True or False:
Protists are important because they are primary consumers that feed on a large portion of the world’s aquatic species.
False