Classification Flashcards
(32 cards)
What is classification?
The organization of living organisms into groups according to their features.
Define a species.
A group of organisms that can reproduce to produce fertile offspring.
What is the binomial system of naming species?
An internationally agreed system where the scientific name consists of 2 parts: genus and species.
What does the first name in the binomial nomenclature refer to?
The genus (generic name) to which the organism belongs.
What does the second name in the binomial nomenclature refer to?
The species name (specific name).
How are genus and species names formatted?
They are either written in italics or underlined.
What is the sequence of classification?
Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species.
List the five kingdoms of living organisms.
- Animals
- Plants
- Fungi
- Protoctists
- Prokaryotes
What are the main features of all animals?
- Multicellular
- Cells contain a nucleus
- No cell walls or chloroplasts
- Feed on organic substances made by other living things
What are the main features of all plants?
- Multicellular
- Cells contain a nucleus, chloroplasts, and cellulose cell walls
- Feed by photosynthesis
What are the main features of all fungi?
- Usually multicellular (can be unicellular)
- Cells have nuclei and cell walls not made from cellulose (made of chitin)
- Do not photosynthesize but feed by saprophytic or parasitic nutrition
What are the main features of all protoctists?
- Most are unicellular (some are multicellular)
- All have a nucleus
- Some may have cell walls and chloroplasts
- Some photosynthesize, others feed on organic substances
What are the main features of all prokaryotes?
- Often unicellular
- Cells have cell walls (made of murein) and cytoplasm
- No membrane-bound structures
- Have circular DNA
What are the characteristics of fish?
- Live in water
- Covered with hard scales
- Have fins and tails
- Breathe through gills
- Reproduce by laying eggs without shells
- Cold-blooded
What are the characteristics of birds?
- Have feathers
- Have beaks and wings
- Lay eggs with hard shells
- Warm-blooded
What are the characteristics of amphibians?
- Adults live both on land and in water
- Young live in water
- Have moist skin
- Lay eggs in water without shells
- Cold-blooded
What are the characteristics of reptiles?
- Live on land
- Have dry, scaly skin
- Breathe through lungs
- Lay eggs with leathery shells
- Cold-blooded
What are the characteristics of mammals?
- Have hair or fur
- Give birth to young
- Feed young with milk
- Some live on land, others in water
- Warm-blooded
What is one morphological characteristic used to classify invertebrates?
Whether they have legs or not.
What are the features of myriapods?
- Body consists of many segments
- Have many legs
- Each segment contains at least 1 pair of jointed legs
- Have 1 pair of antennae
- Have simple eyes
What are the features of insects?
- Body divided into 3 parts: head, thorax, abdomen
- 3 pairs of jointed legs
- 1 pair of antennae
- 2 pairs of wings
- Compound eyes
What are the features of arachnids?
- Body divided into 2 parts: cephalothorax and abdomen
- 4 pairs of jointed legs
- No antennae
- Simple eyes
What are the features of crustaceans?
- Mainly aquatic
- Have gills
- More than 4 pairs of jointed legs
- Chalky exoskeleton
- 2 pairs of feelers
- Compound eyes
What are the characteristics of ferns?
- Reproduce by spores
- Spores found on underside of leaves
- Have roots, stems, and leaves
- Do not produce flowers or seeds
