Classification of Living Things Flashcards
Grade 9 · Science · Flashcards
Review the essential vocabulary of taxonomy, the domains and kingdoms of life, and evolutionary classification.
Flashcards
- Taxonomy
- The branch of biology concerned with naming, describing, and classifying all living organisms.
- Binomial Nomenclature
- The two-part Latin naming system: Genus (capitalized) + species (lowercase), always italicized, devised by Linnaeus.
- Hierarchical Classification
- The ranked system Domain > Kingdom > Phylum > Class > Order > Family > Genus > Species, each level more specific than the last.
- Domain Bacteria
- Prokaryotes with peptidoglycan cell walls; most ancient and diverse; includes E. coli, Streptococcus, cyanobacteria.
- Domain Archaea
- Prokaryotes with unique membrane lipids; extremophiles (methanogens, halophiles, thermophiles); no pathogens known.
- Domain Eukarya
- All organisms with true membrane-bound nuclei; split into four kingdoms: Protista, Fungi, Plantae, Animalia.
- Phylogenetics
- The study of evolutionary relationships among organisms, often represented as branching tree diagrams.
- Derived Character
- A trait shared by a group of organisms inherited from a common ancestor, used to group them on a cladogram.
- Convergent Evolution
- When unrelated species independently evolve similar traits due to similar environmental pressures (e.g., wings in bats and birds).
- Kingdom Protista
- A paraphyletic grouping of mostly unicellular eukaryotes; includes amoeba, paramecia, algae, and slime molds.
- Morphology
- The study of the physical form and structure of organisms; historically the primary basis for classification.
- Common Ancestor
- An ancestral species from which two or more descendent species evolved; the branch point on a phylogenetic tree.
Get a personalized course on Classification of Living Things built around your child.