Biology Taxonomy and Classification Quiz

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Questions and Answers

What is the correct format for writing a scientific name using the binomial system?

Both parts are in lowercase, and the entire name is italicized.

The genus is capitalized, the species is in lowercase, and the entire name is italicized. (correct)

The genus is capitalized and italicized, and the species is in lowercase.

Both parts are capitalized and italicized.

Which of the following statements is true regarding taxonomic groups?

An order is always comparable in genetic diversity across different lineages.

A species is a broader taxonomic rank than a genus.

A family has a greater level of genetic diversity than a class.

An order of snails may have less genetic diversity than an order of mammals. (correct)

What term describes a taxonomic unit at any level of hierarchy?

Taxon (correct)

Binomial

Clade

Phylogeny

In the classification of organisms, what follows 'class' in the hierarchy from broad to narrow?

Order Signup and view all the answers

What is the second part of a binomial name?

The species identifier Signup and view all the answers

In a phylogenetic tree, what does the term 'basal taxon' describe?

A taxon that diverges early in the history of a group and originates near the common ancestor. Signup and view all the answers

What does the branch point labeled '1' in the phylogenetic tree represent?

The last common ancestor of all the taxa (A to G) in the tree. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following describes the relationship between Taxon B and Taxon C?

They are sister taxa. Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of a polytomy in a phylogenetic tree?

It shows a branch where more than two groups emerge from a single point. Signup and view all the answers

What is the difference between the branch point labeled '1' and branch points '3', '4', and '5' in the diagram?

Point '1' represents the last common ancestor of all taxa, while '3', '4', and '5' show more recent common ancestors. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary focus of taxonomy?

Classifying and naming organisms based on shared traits. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes a 'controlled experiment'?

An experiment where one variable is tested against an unchanged control. Signup and view all the answers

What is the nature of a proper scientific hypothesis?

It is a statement that is testable and falsifiable. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes the term 'analogous'?

Features that are similar not due to shared ancestry, but because of convergent evolution. Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of the two-part name in Linnaeus' system of taxonomy?

It provides a unique scientific name for each species. Signup and view all the answers

Which of these options is part of the scientific method?

Forming a testable hypothesis. Signup and view all the answers

What distinguishes a 'homologous' structure?

Structures that are similar due to shared ancestry, but may have different functions. Signup and view all the answers

In the context of a scientific theory, what does 'theory' imply?

A well-substantiated explanation that has been confirmed by repeated evidence. Signup and view all the answers

According to Figure 26.4, which of the following lists the correct classification order from the most broad to the most specific?

Order, Family, Genus, Species Signup and view all the answers

Which genus do both the leopard (Panthera pardus) and the gray wolf (Canis lupus) belong to?

None, they belong to different genera Signup and view all the answers

According to Figure 26.4, what is the correct family classification for Lutra lutra?

Mustelidae Signup and view all the answers

Based on the provided information, which of the following is a visual representation of evolutionary history?

A phylogenetic tree Signup and view all the answers

According to the figure, which of these organisms are in the same order?

All the listed species in figure 26.4 are in the same order Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is the correct way to write the species name of the coyote, according to Figure 26.4?

Canis latrans Signup and view all the answers

Based on figure 26.4, what is the phylogenetic relationship between Taxidea taxus and Lutra lutra?

They are in the same order Signup and view all the answers

If a new species, Canis familiaris, was discovered, and it's known to be closely related to the coyote, where would it be placed in the classification shown?

In the Canis genus, under the Canidae family and Carnivora order Signup and view all the answers

In a phylogenetic tree where branch lengths represent chronological time, what can branching points indicate?

The points in time when new species arose. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following traits shared by birds and crocodiles suggests they have a common ancestor?

Their four-chambered hearts, song, nest building, and brooding habits. Signup and view all the answers

What does the fossil record of Oviraptor and its eggs primarily suggest about dinosaur behavior?

Dinosaurs engaged in nest-building and brooding behaviors. Signup and view all the answers

Based on the provided phylogenetic tree, which animal is positioned closest to the base, indicating the earliest divergence from the common ancestor?

Drosophila Signup and view all the answers

How do we know dinosaurs engaged in nest building and brooding?

Through examination of fossil remains and egg clutches. Signup and view all the answers

What is represented by the branch points in a phylogenetic tree?

The common ancestor of the taxa that diverge from that point. Signup and view all the answers

What does a phylogenetic tree primarily depict?

Patterns of descent among taxa. Signup and view all the answers

What is a 'homologous character' in the context of phylogenetic trees?

A character shared due to common ancestry. Signup and view all the answers

If two taxa are shown as adjacent on a phylogenetic tree, it implies:

They share a more recent common ancestor than with other taxa on the tree. Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'basal taxon' refer to within a phylogenetic tree?

A lineage that diverges early from the ancestral lineage. Signup and view all the answers

What inference can be made if a node has multiple branches emerging from it, as in point 4 of Figure 26.5?

This node is a polytomy, where more than two lineages emerge. Signup and view all the answers

How are shared characters used in the construction of a phylogenetic tree?

They are used to infer evolutionary relationships among species. Signup and view all the answers

According to figure 26.5, which of the following is a sister taxa?

Taxon C and Taxon D Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Phylogeny and the Tree of Life

Phylogeny is the evolutionary history of a species or group of related species. It is a combination of the processes and patterns of evolution.
Processes of evolution include natural selection and other mechanisms that change the genetic composition of populations.
The patterns of evolution are the outcomes formed over time.
For example, phylogeny helps show how legless lizards and snakes evolved from different groups of legged lizards.
Systematics is the discipline that classifies organisms and determines evolutionary relationships.
Classification is used to build phylogenetic trees.

Phylogenetic Tree

A phylogenetic tree is a diagrammatic representation of the evolutionary history of a group of organisms.
Branch points on the tree represent the divergence of two species from a common ancestor.
"Common Ancestor" can be abbreviated as C.A.
Sister taxa share an immediate common ancestor. They are sister to each other, and cousins to other taxa from the same common ancestor.
Each branch point on the tree represents where lineages diverge.
A rooted tree includes a branch that represents the last common ancestor of all taxa. This is like a "great grandma".
A basal taxon diverges early in a group's history, originating near the common ancestor of the group.
A polytomy is a branch from which more than two groups emerge.
Phylogenetic trees do not show when species evolved or how much change occurred in a lineage.
Phylogenetic trees show patterns of descent, not phenotypic similarities.
It shouldn't be assumed that one taxon evolved from the one next to it. Both evolved from a common ancestor.

Constructing a Phylogenetic Tree

Cladistics groups organisms by common descent.
A clade is a group of species that includes an ancestral species and all its descendants.
Clades are nested in larger clades.
Not all organism groupings qualify as clades.
A clade is monophyletic; the ancestor species and all descendants are included.
A paraphyletic grouping includes the ancestor species and some of the descendants.
"Para-" means "beside".
A polyphyletic group includes distantly related species but not their most recent common ancestor.
"Poly-" means "many".
Shared characters are used to construct phylogenetic trees.
Homologous characters are similarities due to a shared ancestry. These are used to infer phylogeny.
Convergent evolution occurs when similar environmental pressures and natural selection produce similar adaptations in organisms from different evolutionary lineages.
A character is any observable feature or trait of an organism (a characteristic).
Example of a character: a dog with brown fur and white spots.
Example of NOT a character: a dog's favorite show.
Analogous characters, the opposite of homology, occur when a similarity of function and superficial resemblance of structures in organisms occur that are not genetically related.
Shared derived characters are evolutionary novelties unique to a particular clade.
Shared ancestral characters have originated in an ancestor of the taxon.
Synapomorphy is a character shared by all members of a group.
"Morph" means "appearance."
In some trees, branch length represents chronological time and branch points can be determined from the fossil record.
Birds and crocodiles share several features, like four-chamber hearts, song, nest building, and brooding. These features likely evolved in a common ancestor and were shared by all descendants, including dinosaurs. The fossil record supports nest building and brooding in dinosaurs.
Notecards should be taken to each class.
Chapter 26 Homework and Quiz should be completed in the online learning environment.

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Description

Test your knowledge on the principles of taxonomy and classification in biology. This quiz covers key concepts, including the binomial naming system, taxonomic groups, and phylogenetic trees. Challenge yourself to see how well you understand these fundamental aspects of biological classification.