Topic 5.3: Classification of biodiversity

Question 1

What is the formal system by which all living species are classified nowadays?

Answer 1

Binomial system

Question 2

How has the binomial system been developed?

Answer 2

It is periodically assessed and updated at a series of international congresses

Question 3

How is an organisms named in the binomial system?

Answer 3

a) Genus is written first and is capitalized (e.g., Homo)

b) Species follows in lower case (e.g., sapiens)

Question 4

Benefits of the binomial system for classification of biodiversity

Answer 4

a) It allows all organisms to be named according to a globally recognized scheme
b) It can show how closely related organisms are
c) It makes it easier to collect, sort and group information about organisms

Question 5

What is the relationship between the number of taxa shared between two organisms and their relation?

Answer 5

More taxa shared = More closely related organisms

Question 6

What are the three domains in which all living organisms are classified?

Answer 6

a) Eukaryota (all eukaryotic organisms)
b) Archaea (prokaryotic extremophiles)
c) Eubacteria (common pathogenic bacteria)

Question 7

What is the order of classification for taxonomy?

Answer 7

Domain
Kingdom
Phylum
Class
Order
Family
Genus
Species

Question 8

Classification of a human from domain to species level

Answer 8

Eukaryota
Animalia
Chordata
Mammalia
Primate
Hominidae
Homo
sapiens

Question 9

Classification of a buttercup from domain to species level

Answer 9

Eukaryota
Plantae
Angiosperm
Eudicotidae
Ranunculales
Ranunculacae
Ranunculus
acris

Question 10

Definition of natural classification

Answer 10

Grouping organisms according to common ancestry rather than by common features

Question 11

Advantages of natural classification (2)

Answer 11

a) Identification of species is easier

b) Prediction of characteristics shared within a group

Question 12

Disadvantage of natural classification

Answer 12

Taxonomists may need to reclassify groups if new phylogenetic evidence emerges

Question 13

Definition of Dichotomous Keys

Answer 13

Identification method whereby groups of organisms are divided into two categories repeatedly

Question 14

What is preferable when using dichotomous key to identify specimens?

Answer 14

Immutable features

a) Physical structures
b) Biological processes

Question 15

Plant phyla

Answer 15

a) Bryophyta
b) Filicinophyta
c) Coniferophyta
d) Angiospermophyta

Question 16

Bryophyta

a) Structures
b) Vascularization
c) Reproduction
d) Additional features
e) Example

Answer 16

a) No ‘true’ leaves, roots or stems
b) None
c) Spores
b) Anchored by rhizoids
e) Mosses / Liverworts

Question 17

Filicinophyta

a) Structures
b) Vascularization
c) Reproduction
d) Additional features
e) Example

Answer 17

a) Leaves, roots, and stems present
b) Present
c) Spores
d) Pinnate leaves
e) Ferns

Question 18

Coniferophyta

a) Structures
b) Vascularization
c) Reproduction
d) Additional features
e) Example

Answer 18

a) Have leaves, roots, and stems
b) Present
c) Seeds (in cones)
d) Woody stems
e) Pines

Question 19

Angiospermophyta

a) Structures
b) Vascularization
c) Reproduction
d) Additional features
e) Example

Answer 19

a) Have leaves, roots, and stems
b) Present
c) Seeds (in fruits)
d) Flowers / Fruits
e) Peach tree

Question 20

Animal phyla

Answer 20

a) Porifera
b) Cnidaria
c) Platyhelmintha
d) Annelida
e) Mollusca
f) Arthropoda
g) Chordata

Question 21

Porifera

a) Symmetry
b) Body cavity
c) Segmentation
d) Other features
e) Examples

Answer 21

a) Asymmetrical
b) None
c) None
d) Spicules for support
e) Sea sponge

Question 22

Cnidaria

a) Symmetry
b) Body cavity
c) Segmentation
d) Other features
e) Examples

Answer 22

a) Radial
b) Mouth but no anus
c) None
d) Stinging cells
e) Jellyfish, coral

Question 23

Platyhelmintha

a) Symmetry
b) Body cavity
c) Segmentation
d) Other features
e) Examples

Answer 23

a) Bilateral
b) Mouth but no anus
c) None
d) Flattened body
e) Tapeworm, planaria

Question 24

Annelida

a) Symmetry
b) Body cavity
c) Segmentation
d) Other features
e) Examples

Answer 24

a) Bilateral
b) Mouth and anus
c) Segmented
d) Move via peristalsis
e) Earthworm, leech

Question 25

Mollusca

a) Symmetry
b) Body cavity
c) Segmentation
d) Other features
e) Examples

Answer 25

a) Bilateral
b) Mouth and anus
c) Non-visible
d) May have a shell
e) Snail, octopus, squid

Question 26

Arthropoda

a) Symmetry
b) Body cavity
c) Segmentation
d) Other features
e) Examples

Answer 26

a) Bilateral
b) Mouth and anus
c) Segmented
d) Exoskeleton
e) Insects, spider, crustaceans

Question 27

Chordata

a) Symmetry
b) Body cavity
c) Segmentation
d) Other features
e) Examples

Answer 27

a) Bilateral
b) Mouth and anus
c) Segmented
d) Dorsal hollow nerve cord
e) Mammals, birds, reptiles, fish

Question 28

Vertebrate organisms

Answer 28

a) Fish
b) Amphibian
c) Reptile
d) Bird
e) Mammal

Question 29

Fish

a) Body covering
b) Reproduction
c) Breathing
d) Temperature
e) Other features

Answer 29

a) Scales made out of body plates
b) External
c) Gills
d) Ectothermic
e) Have a swim bladder

Question 30

Amphibian

a) Body covering
b) Reproduction
c) Breathing
d) Temperature
e) Other features

Answer 30

a) Moist skin
b) External
c) Simple lungs
d) Ectothermic
e) Larval state in H2O, adult state on land

Question 31

Reptile

a) Body covering
b) Reproduction
c) Breathing
d) Temperature
e) Other features

Answer 31

a) Scales made out of keratin
b) Internal (soft egg)
c) Lungs with extensive folding
d) Ectothermic
e) Simple teeth with no living tissue

Question 32

Bird

a) Body covering
b) Reproduction
c) Breathing
d) Temperature
e) Other features

Answer 32

a) Feathers
b) Internal (hard egg)
c) Lungs with bronchial folding
d) Endothermic
e) Have wings and beaks, no teeth

Question 33

Mammal

a) Body covering
b) Reproduction
c) Breathing
d) Temperature
e) Other features

Answer 33

a) Hair
b) Internal (Live birth)
c) Lungs with alveoli
d) Endothermic
e) Feed young with milk from gland