Species And Taxonomy

Question 1

What is the definition of a species?

Answer 1

A group of organisms that can interbreed and produce fertile offspring.

Question 2

True or False: All members of a species have identical genetic makeup.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

What is taxonomy?

Answer 3

The science of classifying and naming organisms.

Question 4

Fill in the blank: The two main components of a species name are the genus and the ______.

Answer 4

species epithet

Question 5

What system did Carl Linnaeus develop for naming organisms?

Answer 5

Binomial nomenclature

Question 6

Which taxonomic rank comes directly after kingdom?

Answer 6

Phylum

Question 7

True or False: The scientific name of an organism is always italicized.

Answer 7

True

Question 8

What are the five kingdoms in the classification system?

Answer 8

Animalia, Plantae, Fungi, Protista, Monera

Question 9

Which domain includes prokaryotic organisms?

Answer 9

Bacteria and Archaea

Question 10

What is the primary purpose of a phylogenetic tree?

Answer 10

To show the evolutionary relationships among species.

Question 11

Fill in the blank: Organisms that are closely related are placed in the same ______.

Answer 11

genus

Question 12

What is the main difference between a species and a subspecies?

Answer 12

A subspecies is a distinct variation within a species, often geographically separated.

Question 13

True or False: Hybrid organisms can be considered a separate species.

Answer 13

False

Question 14

What is the role of a taxonomist?

Answer 14

To classify and name new species.

Question 15

Which classification level is the most specific?

Answer 15

Species

Question 16

Fill in the blank: The scientific name for humans is ______ sapiens.

Answer 16

Homo

Question 17

What does the term ‘autotrophic’ refer to?

Answer 17

Organisms that produce their own food.

Question 18

True or False: All fungi are classified as plants.

Answer 18

False

Question 19

What is a dichotomous key used for?

Answer 19

To identify organisms based on a series of choices.

Question 20

Which kingdom contains multicellular photosynthetic organisms?

Answer 20

Plantae

Question 21

What is the difference between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells?

Answer 21

Prokaryotic cells lack a nucleus and membrane-bound organelles; eukaryotic cells have them.

Question 22

Fill in the blank: The process of classifying organisms based on shared characteristics is called ______.

Answer 22

classification

Question 23

True or False: All members of the same family share the same genus.

Answer 23

True

Question 24

What is the term for a group of organisms that share a common ancestor?

Answer 24

Clade

Question 25

Which taxonomic rank is higher than class?

Answer 25

Phylum

Question 26

Fill in the blank: A ______ is a diagram that represents evolutionary relationships.

Answer 26

phylogenetic tree

Question 27

What does the term 'endemic' mean in terms of species?

Answer 27

Species that are native to and found only in a specific geographic area.

Question 28

Which classification system is based on evolutionary relationships?

Answer 28

Cladistics

Question 29

True or False: Taxonomy is static and does not change over time.

Answer 29

False

Question 30

What is the purpose of using Latin in scientific naming?

Answer 30

To provide a universal language for scientists.

Question 31

Fill in the blank: The term for a group of similar species is called a ______.

Answer 31

genus

Question 32

What is meant by 'biological species concept'?

Answer 32

Species are defined by their ability to interbreed and produce viable offspring.

Question 33

True or False: The family is the highest taxonomic rank.

Answer 33

False

Question 34

What are the three domains of life?

Answer 34

Bacteria, Archaea, Eukarya

Question 35

Fill in the blank: Organisms in the kingdom ______ are primarily decomposers.

Answer 35

Fungi

Question 36

What does the term 'sympatric speciation' refer to?

Answer 36

The evolution of new species without physical separation.

Question 37

True or False: All organisms in the kingdom Animalia are multicellular.

Answer 37

True

Question 38

What role do phylogenetic trees play in taxonomy?

Answer 38

They help visualize the evolutionary history of organisms.

Question 39

Fill in the blank: The ______ is the taxonomic rank just below kingdom.

Answer 39

phylum

Question 40

What is the significance of the genus name in binomial nomenclature?

Answer 40

It indicates the group of closely related species.

Question 41

True or False: Species can change over time due to evolution.

Answer 41

True

Question 42

What is the difference between allopatric and sympatric speciation?

Answer 42

Allopatric speciation occurs with geographic separation; sympatric speciation occurs without it.

Question 43

Fill in the blank: The classification of organisms is often referred to as ______.

Answer 43

systematics

Question 44

What is a holotype?

Answer 44

The single physical example of an organism used to describe a species.

Question 45

True or False: The family is more specific than the order in taxonomy.

Answer 45

True

Question 46

What is a key feature of the domain Eukarya?

Answer 46

Organisms have complex cells with a nucleus.

Question 47

Fill in the blank: The ______ is a taxonomic rank below order.

Answer 47

family

Question 48

What does the term 'convergent evolution' mean?

Answer 48

When unrelated species evolve similar traits due to similar environments.

Question 49

True or False: A species can be defined only by its physical characteristics.

Answer 49

False

Question 50

What is the importance of genetic variation within a species?

Answer 50

It allows populations to adapt to changing environments.

Question 51

Fill in the blank: The classification system used by biologists is hierarchical and includes domains, kingdoms, ______, classes, orders, families, genera, and species.

Answer 51

phyla

Question 52

What is meant by 'adaptive radiation'?

Answer 52

The rapid evolution of diversely adapted species from a common ancestor.

Question 53

True or False: Organisms within the same order are always in the same family.

Answer 53

True

Question 54

What is the main criterion for classifying organisms into the same genus?

Answer 54

They must share a common ancestor and have similar characteristics.

Question 55

Fill in the blank: The study of evolutionary relationships among biological entities is known as ______.

Answer 55

phylogenetics

Question 56

What is the difference between a common name and a scientific name?

Answer 56

Common names vary by language and region; scientific names are standardized.

Question 57

True or False: The taxonomic hierarchy is universally accepted and does not vary by discipline.

Answer 57

False

Question 58

What is the significance of the species concept in biology?

Answer 58

It helps define and categorize biodiversity.

Question 59

Fill in the blank: The classification of organisms helps scientists communicate about ______.

Answer 59

biodiversity

Question 60

What is a paraphyletic group?

Answer 60

A group that includes an ancestor but not all of its descendants.

Question 61

True or False: Taxonomy is solely based on morphological characteristics.

Answer 61

False

Question 62

What is a polyphyletic group?

Answer 62

A group that includes members from different evolutionary lineages.

Question 63

Fill in the blank: The process of naming organisms is known as ______.

Answer 63

nomenclature

Question 64

What is the role of molecular techniques in taxonomy?

Answer 64

To analyze genetic relationships and clarify classifications.

Question 65

True or False: The classification of organisms is based only on physical traits.

Answer 65

False

Question 66

What is the purpose of a type specimen?

Answer 66

To serve as a reference point for the description of a species.

Question 67

Fill in the blank: The taxonomic rank just above species is ______.

Answer 67

genus

Question 68

What is the significance of genetic analysis in modern taxonomy?

Answer 68

It helps resolve ambiguities in classification and evolutionary relationships.

Question 69

True or False: All organisms in the domain Eukarya are multicellular.

Answer 69

False

Question 70

What is the primary focus of conservation biology?

Answer 70

To protect biodiversity and prevent species extinction.

Question 71

Fill in the blank: The classification system is hierarchical, meaning it is structured in ______ levels.

Answer 71

nested

Question 72

What is the term for the study of the distribution of species and ecosystems in geographical space and through geological time?

Answer 72

Biogeography

Question 73

True or False: The scientific community accepts that taxonomy can change with new discoveries.

Answer 73

True

Question 74

What is the main criteria for defining a clade?

Answer 74

It must include an ancestor and all its descendants.

Question 75

Fill in the blank: The concept of ______ refers to the role of an organism in its environment.

Answer 75

niche

Question 76

What is the significance of the IUCN Red List?

Answer 76

It assesses the conservation status of species worldwide.

Question 77

True or False: Hybridization can lead to new species formation.

Answer 77

True

Question 78

What is the difference between ecological and biological species concepts?

Answer 78

Ecological focuses on niche and habitat; biological focuses on reproductive isolation.

Question 79

Fill in the blank: The study of how species interact with one another and their environment is called ______.

Answer 79

ecology

Question 80

What does the term 'extinction' refer to?

Answer 80

The end of an organism's existence as a species.

Question 81

True or False: Taxonomic classifications are permanent and do not change over time.

Answer 81

False

Question 82

What is a key feature of organisms in the kingdom Monera?

Answer 82

They are unicellular and prokaryotic.

Question 83

Fill in the blank: The classification of organisms into groups based on shared characteristics is known as ______.

Answer 83

taxonomy