Species and taxonomy

Question 1

What is classification?

Answer 1

Grouping of organisms

Question 2

What is taxonomy?

Answer 2

Theory and practice of biological classification.

Question 3

What are the two types of classifications?

Answer 3

Phylogenetic classification and Artificial classification

Question 4

Explain phylogenetic classification and the method it uses.

Answer 4

Classifies species into groups based on their evolutionary origins and relationships. It uses a hierarchy in which smaller groups are placed within larger groups, with no overlap between groups. Each group is called a taxon (plural taxa).

Question 5

Explain artificial classification.

Answer 5

Classifies species according to differences that are useful at the time. These are described as analogous characteristics.

Question 6

What are analogous characteristics and which classification do they come under?

Answer 6

Characteristics with the same function but not the same evolutionary origins. Come under artificial

Question 7

What are the characteristics like in phylogenetic classification + definition.

Answer 7

Characteristics are partly homologous which is when they have similar evolutionary origins regardless of their function.

Question 8

What is the binomial system?

Answer 8

A universal system for naming organisms

Question 9

How are the organisms given a name through the binomial system?

Answer 9

Genus: First name
Species: Second name

Question 10

What are 2 advantages of using the binomial system?

Answer 10

1. It is universal so everyone will use the same system.
2. It allows us to see how closely related organisms are.

Question 11

By looking at the name, how can you tell that two organisms share a common ancestor?

Answer 11

Same genus (first name)

Question 12

What is a hierarchy in terms of classification systems? Explain your answer.

Answer 12

Smaller groups arranged within larger groups.
- Within a larger group you can have lots of the smaller group. This is the same as you travel up a hierarchy.
There are no overlap between groups.
- Although there may be many different species in the same genus, there is no overlap in those species. e.g a tiger is a completely different species from a jaguar so they wouldn’t produce offspring.

Question 13

What are all the taxa in the classification system?

Answer 13

Domain
Kingdom
Phylum
Class
Order
Family
Genus
Species
(Dear) King Phillip Came Over For Good Soup.

Question 14

Why do we classify organisms into the classification system?

Answer 14

• To understand the relationships between organisms.

Question 15

How can members of the same species recognise one another during mating?

Answer 15

Through courtship behaviour.

Question 16

What is a species?

Answer 16

Group of similar organisms that can breed together and produce offspring.

Question 17

What is courtship behaviour?

Answer 17

Sequence of actions unique to each species that allow animals to identify their own species and reproduce with them.

Question 18

Why is courtship important?

Answer 18

• Enables them to recognise their own species and the opposite sex
• Synchronises mating behaviour since it indicates they are sexually mature
• Choose a strong and healthy mate
• To form a pair bond between two individuals

Question 19

Below are 3 different species of duck. Explain which two ducks are closely related to each other and why.

Duck 1: shakes tail - shakes beak - nods and swims - turns to female
Duck 2: shakes tail - shakes beak - flicks head - turns to female
Duck 3: - shakes tail - whistles - grunts - raises head and tail - turns to female

Answer 19

Duck 1 and Duck 2 are closely related because their courtship sequence is very similar. Courtship rituals are genetically determined, so the more similar a species is, the more similar their DNA base sequence is.

Question 20

What are three ways of determining genetic comparisons between species?

Answer 20

1. Difference in DNA base sequence
2. Difference in amino acid sequence of proteins
3. Difference in base sequence of mRNA

Question 21

How can breeding experiments determine whether two
populations are from the same species.

Answer 21

By breeding the same two populations together, the same species will produce fertile offspring.