Taxonomy Flashcards
Taxonomy
The science of naming organisms and assigning them into groups - a way of sorting
How are organisms sorted with Taxonomy?
observed characteristics such as morphology, behaviour and sometimes even geographic location
Biosphere
The part of the Earth inhabited by living organisms
Species
similar in shape and structure and could reproduce with each other
Carl Linnaeus
- considered the father of modern taxonomy
- invented binomial nomenclature to classify organisms
- latin was the language of scholars at the time
What kind of system is Taxonomy?
Hierarchical system - it goes from a broad topic to more specific categories
How many species are in each group at the end?
1 - a specific species, occasionally there are subspecies
What are the Ranks of Classification?
- Domain
- Kingdom
- Phylum
- Class
- Order
- Family
- Genus
- Species
What is a mnemonic device to remember taxonomy ranks?
- Do Kings Play Cards On Fine Green Satin
- Dumb Kids Prefer Cheese Over Fried Green Spinach
When naming species, what comes first?
Always say genus and then the species
What should always be capitalized when naming species
Genus - Never capitalize Species
What should be done to both words when naming species
Both words are italicized or underlined
What is an easier way to name species?
Capital letter of the genus, then the species name. Ex: E. Coli
What are some advantages of Taxonomy?
- universal scientific communication
- unique for every living thing
- show relationship between closely related organisms
What should you remember when sorting organisms on a test?
Remember to explain all the choices when sorting
what is a group in a taxonomy called?
plural - taxa.
singular - taxon
How did the invention of the microscope affect taxonomy?
More organisms were discovered, therefore,
more organisms to classify
Binomial Nomeclature
A two word system of uniquely naming
organisms according to their genus and
species
Dichotomy
Splitting of a whole into exactly two mutually exclusive parts
Di = two
What are the 2 conditions for a
properly written dichotomous key?
- 2 choices for each characteristic
- Unique ending for each individual item
Two ways a dichotomous key can be
represented?
- Diagrammatically (tree/flow chart)
- With words
What are similar structures reffered to as?
Homologous structures
Which kingdoms are not classified in Domain Eukarya?
Eubacteria and archaea
