10.1. CLASSIFICATION Flashcards
1
Q
what is classification?
A
- process by which living organisms are sorted into groups
- organisms within each group share similar features
2
Q
what are taxonomic groups?
A
- seven groups ordered into a hierarchy
includes: kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus and species
3
Q
what is a recently added further level of classification (above kingdom)?
A
domain
4
Q
do scientists classify organisms?
A
- to identify a species
- to predict characteristics
- to find evolutionary links (common ancestors)
5
Q
how are organisms classified?
A
- begin by separating into 3 domains: archaea, bacteria, and eukarya
- ends with classification into species - each group only contains one type of organism
6
Q
how is a species defined?
A
- group of organisms that are able to reproduce to produce fertile offspring
- i.e. donkey (fertile) + horse (fertile) = mule (infertile) > not a species
7
Q
why are mules not a species?
A
- cells contain an odd number of chromosomes (63)
- means that meiosis and gamete production cannot take place correctly as all chromosomes must pair up
- as horses have 64 chromosomes and donkeys have 62 chromosomes
8
Q
how must an organisms species and genus be displayed?
A
- genus = capital letter
- species = lowercase letter
if typed, in italics
if hand written, underlined
9
Q
what is the classification of humans?
A
Homo sapiens
10
Q
what is another word for species?
A
specific
11
Q
what is another word for genus?
A
generic
12
Q
what are common names?
A
- before classification systems were widely used, many organisms were given names according to certain physical characteristics, behaviour or habitat
- e.g. ‘blackbirds’ or ‘song thrushes’
13
Q
what system was created to ensure scientists all over the world are discussing the same organism?
A
- binomial nomenclature
- by Carl Linnaeus
