1.2 Flashcards
(24 cards)
What does “extant” mean in biology?
Living or still in existence.
What is taxonomy?
The science of classifying life.
What is the role of a taxonomist?
A scientist who researches taxonomy.
How were organisms traditionally classified?
By morphological traits, behavioral traits, and geographical location.
What modern methods are used to classify organisms?
DNA analysis, protein analysis, and developmental biology.
Who was one of the first people to classify life?
Aristotle.
What classification system did Aristotle develop?
The Great Chain of Being.
How did Aristotle categorize living organisms?
Into Animals and Plants.
What was Aristotle’s Scala Naturae?
A “Natural Ladder” ranking organisms by complexity.
Who is considered the “Father of Taxonomy”?
Carl Linnaeus.
What is a taxon (plural: taxa)?
A group of organisms in Linnaeus’ classification system.
What is morphology in taxonomy?
The study of physical characteristics of organisms.
What are the major taxonomic ranks in Linnaeus’ system?
Domain, Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species.
What system is used to name organisms scientifically?
Binomial Nomenclature.
How is a species’ scientific name formatted?
Italicized or underlined, with the Genus capitalized and species lowercase.
Why was Binomial Nomenclature developed?
To standardize names and avoid confusion from common names.
Give an example of a scientific name using Binomial Nomenclature.
Puma concolor (Genus: Puma, species: concolor).
What do similar Genus names indicate in Binomial Nomenclature?
A close evolutionary relationship.
What is an example of a subspecies in taxonomy?
Panthera tigris altaica (Siberian tiger).
What organizations regulate scientific naming conventions?
ICBN (plants, fungi, algae) and ICZN (animals).
Who discovered Archaea and proposed the Three Domains of Life?
Carl Woese.
What are the three domains in Woese’s classification system?
Eukarya, Bacteria, Archaea.
How did Woese discover Archaea?
By studying microorganisms in extreme environments.
How many kingdoms are recognized under the Woese system?
Six.
