Systematics

Question 1

Systematics

Answer 1

def: Naming of organisms, arranging them in categories in a classification, and discovering their relationships
- it is a combination of names and categories

Question 2

names

Answer 2

purpose: to talk to others and know what they are referring to.

Question 3

categories

Answer 3

• organisms can be related to each other

- categorizing things is NOT the same as determining relatedness

Question 4

taxonomy

Answer 4

def: describing species and other levels of taxa, arranging the taxa into categories - naming stuff

Question 5

nomenclature

Answer 5

def: proper use of rules to name species and higher taxa - legal aspect of science

Question 6

phylogeny

Answer 6

def: taxonomic arrangement of species built on the perceived phylogenies of a species

Question 7

linnaean classification

Answer 7

• binomial nomenclature based on shared characters
• classified all life into 3 kingdoms (animal, plant, mineral)
• Only a few terms from his original publication are still used today

Question 8

Apostles of Linnaeus

Answer 8

• group of 17 students
• appointed by Linnaeus to carry out special botanical and zoological expeditions to describe as many noel species as possible
• Linnaeus named many taxonomic groups after his students

Question 9

Binomial Nomenclature

Answer 9

• 2 name system of naming
• simplified naming (a name could have 9 part description)
• Genus species

Question 10

Systema Naturae

Answer 10

the name of the system Linnaeus used to classify species

Question 11

Latin Name

Answer 11

-used to describe binomial nomenclature

Question 12

Common Name

Answer 12

• used commonly for a species
• usually named locally
• A single species can have many common names or no common name at all
• The same common name can be used for many different species

Question 13

Linnaean hierarchy

Answer 13

-tells us nothing about evolutionary relationships

Question 14

Taxonomic ranks

Answer 14

taxonomic ranks beyond the species name are artificial

-taxonomic ranks are not defined by the same traits across taxa

Question 15

Super-

Answer 15

above the named taxonomic rank

Question 16

Sub-

Answer 16

below the named taxonomic rank

Question 17

Characters

Answer 17

observable, quantifiable traits of a species,

Characters are the raw material of taxonomy and phylogney

Question 18

The Code and Principle of Priority

Answer 18

The Code - a set of rules that govern *formation, *publication, and *usage of names
-Priority is the basic principle of the code: oldest name for a taxon is the valid name (prevents name changes as a result of disagreements)

1. Names must be in latin form
2. Names must be in Roman alphabet
3. Names for species are binomial

Question 19

Synonyms

Answer 19

More than one name for the same taxon

-mainly due to differences of opinion in species limits, or people unaware of each other’s work

Question 20

Homonyms

Answer 20

more than one taxon with the same name

-mainly due to people unaware of each other’s work, not checking the literature

Question 21

Holotype

Answer 21

Objective standard of reference by which the application of name is determined
-ONE entity designated as the name-bearing type ie name-bearing type of a genus is a type species

Question 22

Isotype

Answer 22

-Where a holotype consists of more than one piece (ie more common with plants, where the holotype may be a herbarium specimen found in more than one piece)

Question 23

Neotype

Answer 23

• a new holotype selected to replace the original holotype

- most often used for species defined from fossils (ie a more complete fossil is found)

Question 24

From a naming system to nomenclature - code of nomenclature

Answer 24

• promote stability and universality

- name of each taxon is unique and distinct

Question 25

Criteria for Publication

Answer 25

• Names must be issued *publicly for *permanent scientific record
• Publication of name closely tied to author and date who validated the name by publishing it - use of the author’s name is optional but recommended

Question 26

Important

Answer 26

Names derived through binomial nomenclature are used in taxonomy, but they are **derived separately

Question 27

Intraspecific name

Answer 27

three part name

given to different sub-populations of a species that need to be identified

Question 28

trinomen

Answer 28

for an animal species, rank below species is only referred to as a subspecies