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Biology > Species And Taxonomy > Flashcards

Species And Taxonomy Flashcards

1
Q

What is the definition of a species?

A

A group of organisms that can interbreed and produce fertile offspring.

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2
Q

True or False: All members of a species have identical genetic makeup.

A

False

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3
Q

What is taxonomy?

A

The science of classifying and naming organisms.

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4
Q

Fill in the blank: The two main components of a species name are the genus and the ______.

A

species epithet

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5
Q

What system did Carl Linnaeus develop for naming organisms?

A

Binomial nomenclature

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6
Q

Which taxonomic rank comes directly after kingdom?

A

Phylum

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7
Q

True or False: The scientific name of an organism is always italicized.

A

True

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8
Q

What are the five kingdoms in the classification system?

A

Animalia, Plantae, Fungi, Protista, Monera

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9
Q

Which domain includes prokaryotic organisms?

A

Bacteria and Archaea

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10
Q

What is the primary purpose of a phylogenetic tree?

A

To show the evolutionary relationships among species.

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11
Q

Fill in the blank: Organisms that are closely related are placed in the same ______.

A

genus

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12
Q

What is the main difference between a species and a subspecies?

A

A subspecies is a distinct variation within a species, often geographically separated.

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13
Q

True or False: Hybrid organisms can be considered a separate species.

A

False

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14
Q

What is the role of a taxonomist?

A

To classify and name new species.

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15
Q

Which classification level is the most specific?

A

Species

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16
Q

Fill in the blank: The scientific name for humans is ______ sapiens.

A

Homo

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17
Q

What does the term ‘autotrophic’ refer to?

A

Organisms that produce their own food.

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18
Q

True or False: All fungi are classified as plants.

A

False

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19
Q

What is a dichotomous key used for?

A

To identify organisms based on a series of choices.

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20
Q

Which kingdom contains multicellular photosynthetic organisms?

A

Plantae

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21
Q

What is the difference between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells?

A

Prokaryotic cells lack a nucleus and membrane-bound organelles; eukaryotic cells have them.

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22
Q

Fill in the blank: The process of classifying organisms based on shared characteristics is called ______.

A

classification

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23
Q

True or False: All members of the same family share the same genus.

A

True

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24
Q

What is the term for a group of organisms that share a common ancestor?

A

Clade

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25
Q

Which taxonomic rank is higher than class?

A

Phylum

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26
Q

Fill in the blank: A ______ is a diagram that represents evolutionary relationships.

A

phylogenetic tree

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27
Q

What does the term ‘endemic’ mean in terms of species?

A

Species that are native to and found only in a specific geographic area.

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28
Q

Which classification system is based on evolutionary relationships?

A

Cladistics

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29
Q

True or False: Taxonomy is static and does not change over time.

A

False

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30
Q

What is the purpose of using Latin in scientific naming?

A

To provide a universal language for scientists.

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31
Q

Fill in the blank: The term for a group of similar species is called a ______.

A

genus

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32
Q

What is meant by ‘biological species concept’?

A

Species are defined by their ability to interbreed and produce viable offspring.

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33
Q

True or False: The family is the highest taxonomic rank.

A

False

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34
Q

What are the three domains of life?

A

Bacteria, Archaea, Eukarya

35
Q

Fill in the blank: Organisms in the kingdom ______ are primarily decomposers.

A

Fungi

36
Q

What does the term ‘sympatric speciation’ refer to?

A

The evolution of new species without physical separation.

37
Q

True or False: All organisms in the kingdom Animalia are multicellular.

A

True

38
Q

What role do phylogenetic trees play in taxonomy?

A

They help visualize the evolutionary history of organisms.

39
Q

Fill in the blank: The ______ is the taxonomic rank just below kingdom.

A

phylum

40
Q

What is the significance of the genus name in binomial nomenclature?

A

It indicates the group of closely related species.

41
Q

True or False: Species can change over time due to evolution.

A

True

42
Q

What is the difference between allopatric and sympatric speciation?

A

Allopatric speciation occurs with geographic separation; sympatric speciation occurs without it.

43
Q

Fill in the blank: The classification of organisms is often referred to as ______.

A

systematics

44
Q

What is a holotype?

A

The single physical example of an organism used to describe a species.

45
Q

True or False: The family is more specific than the order in taxonomy.

A

True

46
Q

What is a key feature of the domain Eukarya?

A

Organisms have complex cells with a nucleus.

47
Q

Fill in the blank: The ______ is a taxonomic rank below order.

A

family

48
Q

What does the term ‘convergent evolution’ mean?

A

When unrelated species evolve similar traits due to similar environments.

49
Q

True or False: A species can be defined only by its physical characteristics.

A

False

50
Q

What is the importance of genetic variation within a species?

A

It allows populations to adapt to changing environments.

51
Q

Fill in the blank: The classification system used by biologists is hierarchical and includes domains, kingdoms, ______, classes, orders, families, genera, and species.

A

phyla

52
Q

What is meant by ‘adaptive radiation’?

A

The rapid evolution of diversely adapted species from a common ancestor.

53
Q

True or False: Organisms within the same order are always in the same family.

A

True

54
Q

What is the main criterion for classifying organisms into the same genus?

A

They must share a common ancestor and have similar characteristics.

55
Q

Fill in the blank: The study of evolutionary relationships among biological entities is known as ______.

A

phylogenetics

56
Q

What is the difference between a common name and a scientific name?

A

Common names vary by language and region; scientific names are standardized.

57
Q

True or False: The taxonomic hierarchy is universally accepted and does not vary by discipline.

A

False

58
Q

What is the significance of the species concept in biology?

A

It helps define and categorize biodiversity.

59
Q

Fill in the blank: The classification of organisms helps scientists communicate about ______.

A

biodiversity

60
Q

What is a paraphyletic group?

A

A group that includes an ancestor but not all of its descendants.

61
Q

True or False: Taxonomy is solely based on morphological characteristics.

A

False

62
Q

What is a polyphyletic group?

A

A group that includes members from different evolutionary lineages.

63
Q

Fill in the blank: The process of naming organisms is known as ______.

A

nomenclature

64
Q

What is the role of molecular techniques in taxonomy?

A

To analyze genetic relationships and clarify classifications.

65
Q

True or False: The classification of organisms is based only on physical traits.

A

False

66
Q

What is the purpose of a type specimen?

A

To serve as a reference point for the description of a species.

67
Q

Fill in the blank: The taxonomic rank just above species is ______.

A

genus

68
Q

What is the significance of genetic analysis in modern taxonomy?

A

It helps resolve ambiguities in classification and evolutionary relationships.

69
Q

True or False: All organisms in the domain Eukarya are multicellular.

A

False

70
Q

What is the primary focus of conservation biology?

A

To protect biodiversity and prevent species extinction.

71
Q

Fill in the blank: The classification system is hierarchical, meaning it is structured in ______ levels.

A

nested

72
Q

What is the term for the study of the distribution of species and ecosystems in geographical space and through geological time?

A

Biogeography

73
Q

True or False: The scientific community accepts that taxonomy can change with new discoveries.

A

True

74
Q

What is the main criteria for defining a clade?

A

It must include an ancestor and all its descendants.

75
Q

Fill in the blank: The concept of ______ refers to the role of an organism in its environment.

A

niche

76
Q

What is the significance of the IUCN Red List?

A

It assesses the conservation status of species worldwide.

77
Q

True or False: Hybridization can lead to new species formation.

A

True

78
Q

What is the difference between ecological and biological species concepts?

A

Ecological focuses on niche and habitat; biological focuses on reproductive isolation.

79
Q

Fill in the blank: The study of how species interact with one another and their environment is called ______.

A

ecology

80
Q

What does the term ‘extinction’ refer to?

A

The end of an organism’s existence as a species.

81
Q

True or False: Taxonomic classifications are permanent and do not change over time.

A

False

82
Q

What is a key feature of organisms in the kingdom Monera?

A

They are unicellular and prokaryotic.

83
Q

Fill in the blank: The classification of organisms into groups based on shared characteristics is known as ______.

A

taxonomy

Biology (28 decks)

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