Lecture 2

Question 1

Define etymology. What are its root words? What do they mean?

Answer 1

The study of word origins and the
meanings of parts of words (aka root words).
Etymos: true sense
Logos: word.

Question 2

Define taxonomy. List its root words and their meanings.

Answer 2

The practice (and a little theory) of classifying organisms.
Taxo: arrange
Nomos: Knowledge/science of

Question 3

Define systematics.

Answer 3

The theory (and a little practice) of classifying organisms.

Question 4

Define nomenclature. Define the root word “nomen”.

Answer 4

A system of rules for naming things

Nomen: Name

Question 5

What is ethnotaxonomy? Give an example.

Answer 5

The examination of how
different cultures classify plants and
animals (eg. cow vs. beef, pig vs. pork)

Question 6

What is a common name?

Answer 6

A name for a species that
is not based on the Linnaean system
and is in the language of local people.

Question 7

List the three main problems with common names. Give examples for each.

Answer 7

(a) common names can differ
among countries and languages, causes confusion (different names for same species) – e.g. horse = Pferd = caballo

(b) same name for different species
– e.g. “magpie”: North American species is Pica hudsonia (Corvidae), Australian
species is Cracticus tibicen (Cracticidae)

(c) common names may imply
incorrect relationships – e.g. “northern waterthrush” is a warbler
(Parulidae) not a thrush (Turdidae)

Question 8

What were the two main points in Carl Linnaeus’ book series ‘Systema Naturae’ that became the foundation of the Linnaean System?

Answer 8

(a) use of Latin as the universal language of scientific nomenclature

(b) use of unique binomen (= two-part
name) for each species.

Question 9

Fill in the blanks: Binomen names have two parts - ______ (e.g. Homo) and ______, a.k.a. _______ (e.g. sapiens). This together makes the _____ name.

Answer 9

Binomen names have two parts - genus name (e.g.Homo) and specific name, a.k.a. specific epithet (e.g. sapiens). This together makes the species name.

Question 10

Fill in the blanks: Linnaean system involve nested subsets (taxonomic _____ or _____) containing groups of organisms (____)

Answer 10

Linnaean system involve nested subsets

taxonomic levels or ranks) containing groups of organisms (taxa

Question 11

List the fundamental taxonomic ranks in the basic Linnaean system, in order.

Answer 11

Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order,

Family, Genus, Species.

Question 12

What was the higher taxonomic rank that was later instituted to recognize the
most basic divisions of life? Name the three subsets of this rank.

Answer 12

Domain - Archaea, Bacteria, Eukarya.

Question 13

List the essential formatting rules for scientific names. Give examples.

Answer 13

1. genus and specific epithet always
italicized
– e.g., Homo sapiens
2. taxon names (except specific epithet)
capitalized when used as nouns but not
when used as adjectives (e.g. Felidae is
correct, but feline should not be
capitalized)
3. a genus name may be abbreviated
(e.g. Alces alces = A. alces), but not a
specific epithet (e.g., never Alces a.)

Question 14

What does the ICZN stand for? What are some of its limitations?

Answer 14

The ICZN stands for the International
Code of Zoological Nomenclature, however, it only covers animals (there is a different code for plants+algae+fungi
and also a different one for prokaryotes
– have slight variations on the following rules and also for names of taxonomic ranks)

Question 15

List the main ICZN rules.

Answer 15

1. January 1, 1758 is the first day that published binomial
   species names are considered ‘official’
2. the oldest published name (back to 1758) for a taxon is
   considered the correct one, i.e. it has priority, and is called the
   senior synonym
   – the more recent one is the junior synonym
   – synonym = different names for the same thing
3. The person who originally described that taxon is considered the taxon’s author
4. if the same name is used for two different taxa at the same rank, the oldest name wins (it is called the senior homonym)
   – homonym = same name for different things
   – but even slight differences in spelling means they are not homonyms
5. same names from different codes are not
   homonyms (e.g. plant and animal can have
   same genus name)
6. specific epithets can be
   shared, but not in the same
   genus
7. names must be in Latin
   alphabet (e.g. not Cyrillic)
8. Family names for animals
   end in ‘-idae’
   • 9. if a species is transferred to a
   different genus, for whatever reason,
   this is indicated by parentheses around
   the name of the author

Question 16

One should only apply for the exception of ICZN rules if…

Answer 16

…there is fear of a threat to the stability of

scientific knowledge.