Species and taxonomy Flashcards
(10 cards)
What is taxonomy?
Science of classification
What is a taxa ?
8 levels of groups used to classify organisms these groups are called taxa, each group is a taxon
How are the groups arranged ?
In hierarchy, the largest groups at the tops and the smallest groups at the bottom
There is no overlap
What is phylogenetic classification?
The system attempts to arrange species into groups based on their evolutionary origins and relationships
What is the hierarchy ?
Smaller groups are placed within larger groups with no overlap between groups
What is the binomial system ?
Includes the genus and species name
What are the problems with using observable features in classification?
Some organisms will look alike due to convergent evolution
Two organisms evolve similar features but are not closely related
They live in similar environments and are exposed to similar selection pressures
How can we help clarify evolutionary relationships between organisms ?
DNA and mRNA sequences- the more similarities between base sequences the more closely related they are
Amino acid sequence
Immunology
Similar proteins in organisms will bind the same antibodies
What is courtship ?
Two organisms belong to the same species if they are able to produce fertile offspring
How can courtship be done ?
By releasing chemicals or a series of displays or by behaviours and actions unique to each species
