Biological Classification and Identification

These flashcards cover key vocabulary related to biological classification, naming systems, and organism identification.

Taxa (Taxon)

The group that an organism is assigned to; there are 7 main taxa in biology.

Binomial Nomenclature

The two-name system of naming organisms developed by Carolus Linnaeus, which includes the genus name (capitalized) and species name (not capitalized), both in italics.

Kingdom (kings)

The second highest taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living organisms.

Phylum (play)

A level of classification below kingdom and above class.

Class (chess)

A grouping of organisms within a phylum that share common characteristics.

Order (on)

A category of classification below class and above family.

Family (fuzzy)

A group of related genera (plural of genus) that shares common characteristics.

Genus (green)

The taxonomic category ranking above species and below family.

Species (squares)

The basic unit of biological classification, defined as a group of organisms that can interbreed.

Eukaryote

An organism whose cells contain a nucleus; includes all kingdoms except bacteria.

Prokaryote

An organism whose cells do not have a nucleus; characterized by a single, circular piece of DNA.

Heterotrophic

Organisms that consume other organisms or their byproducts for energy.

Autotrophic

Organisms capable of producing their own food from non-living sources, like plants.

Unicellular

Organisms made up of one cell, such as bacteria and certain protists.

Multicellular

Organisms made up of many cells, such as animals, plants, and fungi.

Dichotomous Key

A tool used by biologists to identify organisms through a series of paired contrasting statements.