Biodiversity Flashcards 5.3

Development of the Binomial System

• Universal naming system for species established through international congresses.
• Each species name consists of a genus name followed by a specific name.

Genus

• A classification grouping that includes species with shared characteristics.

Binomial Nomenclature

• Composed of two parts: the genus name (capitalized) and the species name (lowercase).
• Names are italicized in printed text; abbreviated after the first use (e.g., L.borealis).

Rules of Binomial Nomenclature

• Genus name starts with an uppercase letter, species with a lowercase letter.
• The earliest named species (post-1753 for plants, post-1758 for animals) is considered the correct name.

Taxonomy

• The scientific practice of classifying living organisms.

Taxa

• Categories or groups used for classification.

Hierarchy of Taxa

• Taxa organized in a hierarchical structure: families → orders → classes → kingdoms/domains.
• As one moves up the hierarchy, groups encompass larger numbers of species with fewer shared traits.

Three Domains of Life

• All organisms fit into three domains: Eubacteria, Archaea, and Eukaryota.
• Terms for members: bacteria, archaeans, eukaryotes.

Principal Taxa for Eukaryotes

• Classification levels include: Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species.

Four Kingdoms of Eukaryotes

• Include Animals, Plants, Fungi, and Protoctista, with Protoctista remaining controversial due to its diversity.

Example Classification: Date Palm

• Domain: Eukaryota
• Kingdom: Plantae
• Phylum: Angiospermophyta
• Class: Monocotyledoneae
• Order: Palmales
• Family: Arecaceae
• Genus: Phoenix
• Species: dactylifera

Example Classification: Grey Wolf

• Domain: Eukaryota
• Kingdom: Animalia
• Phylum: Chordata
• Class: Mammalia
• Order: Carnivora
• Family: Canidae
• Genus: Canis
• Species: lupus

Natural vs. Artificial Classification

• Natural Classification groups organisms based on shared ancestry and evolutionary links.
• Artificial Classification relies on arbitrary characteristics, such as grouping animals that can fly.

Reasons for Natural Classification

• Provides a deeper understanding of the biosphere.
• Illustrates evolutionary relationships and predicts shared traits.

Reviewing Classification

• New evidence can lead to the reclassification of groups, splitting or uniting taxa based on common ancestry.

Advantages of Natural Classification

• Facilitates easier species identification and classification.
• Members share characteristics due to common ancestry, aiding in predictions about traits.

Dichotomous Keys

• Tools used for identifying species based on a series of choices.

Main Plant Phyla

• Bryophyta: Includes mosses and liverworts.
• Filicinophyta: Comprises ferns.
• Coniferophyta: Encompasses conifers.
• Angiospermophyta: Includes flowering plants.

Six Animal Phyla

• Porifera: Sponges.
• Cnidaria: Includes hydras, jellyfish, corals.
• Platyhelminthes: Flatworms and their relatives.
• Mollusca: Snails, octopuses, and bivalves.
• Annelida: Segmented worms.
• Arthropoda: Insects, arachnids, crustaceans.

Largest Classes of Chordates

• Bony ray-finned fish.
• Amphibians.
• Reptiles.
• Birds.
• Mammals.