Taxonomy Basics Quiz

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Questions and Answers

What is taxonomy?

The process of evolution

The study of animal behavior

The examination of fossils

The discipline of classifying organisms (correct)

What is a genus?

A group of species descended from a common ancestor

What is a species?

A group of similar organisms that can breed and produce fertile offspring

Prokaryotes have a nucleus.

False Signup and view all the answers

What is a nucleus?

The control center of the cell that contains DNA Signup and view all the answers

What is a dichotomous key?

A tool for determining the identity of items in the natural world Signup and view all the answers

Eukaryotes do not have a nucleus.

False Signup and view all the answers

What is evolutionary classification?

The strategy of grouping organisms based on their evolutionary history Signup and view all the answers

What is a cladogram?

A diagram that shows the evolutionary relationships among a group of organisms Signup and view all the answers

List the taxonomic categories from the most broad to most specific: Dorky Kids Play Cards On Fat Green Stools.

Domain, Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species Signup and view all the answers

What is classification used for and why?

To study the diversity of life, biologists use a classification system to name organisms and group them logically. Signup and view all the answers

Why do we use scientific names instead of common names?

Common names vary by language and region, while scientific names provide consistency. Signup and view all the answers

Who was Linnaeus and what did he do?

He created the system of naming organisms we use today. Signup and view all the answers

What is binomial nomenclature?

The naming system that gives species a two-part scientific name. Signup and view all the answers

What is taxon?

A particular group or level of organization Signup and view all the answers

What are the three domains?

Domain Archaea, Domain Bacteria, Domain Eukarya Signup and view all the answers

What are the names of the six kingdoms?

Eubacteria, Archaebacteria, Protista, Fungi, Plantae, Animalia Signup and view all the answers

List examples and characteristics of organisms from kingdom Animalia.

Multicellular, no cell walls, heterotrophs (eating organisms). Examples: Worms, Insects, Humans, Giraffes. Signup and view all the answers

List examples and characteristics of organisms from kingdom Plantae.

Multicellular, cell walls made of cellulose, autotrophs (making their own food). Examples: Trees, Grass, Moss. Signup and view all the answers

List examples and characteristics of organisms from kingdom Fungi.

Unicellular or multicellular, cell walls made of chitin, heterotrophs. Examples: Mushrooms, Yeast. Signup and view all the answers

List examples and characteristics of organisms from kingdom Protista.

Unicellular or multicellular, can live in colonies. Examples: Amoeba, Euglena, Paramecium. Signup and view all the answers

How do you tell apart kingdom Archaebacteria and kingdom Eubacteria?

Archaebacteria have cell walls without peptidoglycan, while Eubacteria have cell walls with peptidoglycan. Signup and view all the answers

Which four kingdoms are part of Domain Eukarya?

Kingdom Animalia, Fungi, Plantae, and Protista Signup and view all the answers

Which two kingdoms are composed of prokaryotes?

Kingdom Archaebacteria and Eubacteria Signup and view all the answers

Which animal has feathers and swims?

Duck Signup and view all the answers

Name the organisms that have lungs.

Salamander, Lizard, Pigeon, Mouse, Chimp Signup and view all the answers

Name the only organism that has feathers.

Pigeon Signup and view all the answers

Name the organisms that have fur and mammary glands.

Mouse and Chimp Signup and view all the answers

Name the organism that has jaws, but no lungs.

Perch Signup and view all the answers

Name the organism that has no jaw.

Hagfish Signup and view all the answers

Which organisms share the most recent common ancestor: the mouse and chimp, or the pigeon and chimp?

Mouse and Chimp Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Taxonomy Basics

Taxonomy is the science of classifying organisms and assigning universally accepted names.
Organisms are grouped based on shared features, indicating common ancestry.

Key Taxonomic Units

Genus: Classification of species that share a common ancestor, e.g., Felis (domestica, negripes, margarita).
Species: A group of similar organisms that can breed and produce fertile offspring.

Cell Types

Prokaryotes: Organisms without a nucleus.
Eukaryotes: Organisms with a nucleus that contains DNA.

Tools for Identification

A dichotomous key assists in identifying natural world items by presenting a series of choices leading to the correct name.

Classification Methods

Evolutionary classification groups organisms based on their evolutionary history.
Cladograms visually represent evolutionary relationships among organisms.

Taxonomic Hierarchy

The taxonomic categories are organized from broad to specific: Domain, Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species.

Purpose of Classification

Classification is essential for studying biological diversity and understanding evolutionary relationships among organisms.

Scientific Naming

Scientific names are used to avoid confusion created by common names, which can vary across languages and regions.
Binomial nomenclature refers to the system of naming species using a two-part format (genus and species), e.g., Canis lupus (italicized or underlined).

Linnaeus

Carl Linnaeus (1707 - 1778) developed the system of naming organisms that is used today.

Domains and Kingdoms

Three domains: Archaea (ancient bacteria), Bacteria (true bacteria), and Eukarya (organisms with nuclei).
Six kingdoms: Eubacteria, Archaebacteria, Protista, Fungi, Plantae, Animalia.

Characteristics of Kingdoms

Animalia

Multicellular, lack cell walls, and are heterotrophs (e.g., worms, insects, humans, giraffes).

Plantae

Multicellular, cell walls made of cellulose, and are autotrophs (e.g., trees, grass, moss, Venus flytrap).

Fungi

Can be unicellular or multicellular, have cell walls made of chitin, and are heterotrophs (e.g., mushrooms, yeast).

Protista

Can be unicellular or multicellular, some live in colonies (e.g., amoeba, euglena, paramecium).

Distinctions of Bacteria

Archaebacteria: Lack peptidoglycan in their cell walls.
Eubacteria: Contain peptidoglycan in their cell walls.

Common Ancestors

The mouse and chimp share a more recent common ancestor compared to the pigeon and chimp.

Organism Identification

Duck: Identified in the key as having feathers and capable of swimming.
Organisms with lungs: Include salamander, lizard, pigeon, mouse, and chimp.
Only organism with feathers highlighted: Pigeon.
Organisms with fur and mammary glands: Mouse and chimp.
Organism with jaws but no lungs: Perch.
Organism with no jaw: Hagfish.

Evolutionary Developments

The study focuses on identifying morphological traits that emerged after certain species, like salamanders, evolved.

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Description

Test your knowledge on the fundamentals of taxonomy, including key taxonomic units, cell types, and classification methods. This quiz will explore how organisms are classified and the tools used for identification, including dichotomous keys and cladograms.