Classification of Organisms

Question 1

What are the defining characteristics of mammals?

Answer 1

• Vertebrate (have backbone)
• Warm blooded
• Fur/hair
• Lungs
• Live birth

Question 2

What are the defining characteristics of birds?

Answer 2

• Vertebrate (have backbone)
• Warm blooded
• Feathers
• Lungs
• Egg birth

Question 3

What are the defining characteristics of fish?

Answer 3

• Vertebrate (have backbone)
• Cold blooded
• Scales
• Gills
• Egg birth

Question 4

What are the defining characteristics of reptiles?

Answer 4

• Vertebrate (have backbone)
• Cold blooded
• Scales
• Lungs
• Egg birth

Question 5

What are the defining characteristics of amphibians?

Answer 5

• Vertebrate (have backbone)
• Cold blooded
• Lungs & gills
• Egg birth

Question 6

What are the defining characteristics of arachnids?

Answer 6

• Invertebrate (no backbone)
• No pair of antennaes
• 2 body sections
• 4 pairs of legs

Question 7

What are the defining characteristics of insects?

Answer 7

• Invertebrate (no backbone)
• One pair of antennaes
• 3 body sections
• 3 pairs of legs

Question 8

What are the defining characteristics of crustaceans?

Answer 8

• Invertebrate (no backbone)
• 2 pair of antennaes
• 2 or 3 body sections
• 5 or more pairs of legs

Question 9

What are the defining characteristics of myriapods?

Answer 9

• Invertebrate (no backbone)
• One pair of antennaes
• 2 body sections
• Many pairs of legs

Question 10

Which mnenomic can we use to remember the taxonimc ranks?

Answer 10

Dumb
King
Phillip
Cried
Out
For
Goodness
Sake

Question 11

What are the taxonomic ranks in order from biggest (most general or most inclusive) to smallest (most specific or most restrictive)?

Answer 11

1. domain
2. kingdom
3. phylum
4. class
5. order
6. family
7. genus
8. species

Question 12

What are two examples of each of the different taxonomic ranks?

Answer 12

1. [domain] eukaryotes, prokaryotes
2. [kingdom] animals, plants
3. [phylum] vertebrates, invertebrates
4. [class] mammals, birds
5. [order] primates, rodents
6. [family] lemurs, apes
7. [genus] Gorilla, Homo
8. [species] Gorilla beringei, Homo sapiens

Question 13

What is binomial naming and what is an example?

Answer 13

Binomial naming is when write the “full” or “proper” name of a species using italics and first write the genus with a capital letter and then the species with a lowercase letter.

Example: Homo sapiens, Homo is the genus and sapiens is the species within the genus Homo