ch. 28 biodiversity

Classification

Organisms are categorized into different groups based on increasing similarities from kingdom to species.

Species

Organisms capable of interbreeding to produce fertile offspring, defined by similar structural features and genetic materials.

Kingdom Eubacteria

Refers to unicellular prokaryotes with circular DNA, no true nucleus, and a cell wall made of peptidoglycan.

Kingdom Archaebacteria

Unicellular prokaryotes with unique cell wall composition, living in extreme environments like hot, acidic, or oxygen-lacking conditions.

Kingdom Protista

Eukaryotic organisms, mainly unicellular, with true nucleus and membrane-bound organelles, living in water or other organisms.

Protozoans

Animal-like protists capable of movement, such as amoeba and paramecium.

Algae

Plant-like protists with chloroplasts for photosynthesis, like diatoms and dinoflagellates.

Slime Mould

Protists existing as unicellular amoeba-like cells in feeding stage and fungi-like in reproductive stage.

Kingdom Fungi

Multicellular organisms with hyphae, some forming specialized fruiting bodies, obtaining nutrition through saprophytic or parasitic means.

Kingdom Plantae

Autotrophic organisms with chlorophyll, cellulose cell walls, divided into vascular and non-vascular plants.

Ferns

Vascular plants with spores for reproduction, large feathery leaves, and no seeds.

Conifers

Trees or shrubs bearing cones with naked seeds, needle-shaped leaves, and seed reproduction.

Flowering Plants

Plants producing flowers for reproduction, seeds enclosed in fruits, divided into monocots and dicots based on cotyledons, venation, and petals.

Kingdom Animalia

Heterotrophic organisms without cell walls, divided into vertebrates (with backbone) and invertebrates (without backbone).

Fish

Vertebrates with gills, fins, and slimy scales, carrying out external fertilization and being poikilotherms.

Amphibians

Vertebrates using lungs and skin for gas exchange, laying eggs in water, and being poikilotherms, like frogs and salamanders.

Reptiles

Vertebrates with lungs, dry scales, and internal fertilization, laying eggs with soft shells, such as crocodiles and lizards.

Birds

Vertebrates with lungs, feathers, wings, and beaks, laying eggs with hard shells, and being homoiotherms, like sparrows and ducks.

Mammals

Vertebrates with lungs, hair, mammary glands, and internal fertilization, giving birth to live young, and being homoiotherms, like humans and cows.

Classification

Organisms divided into categories based on similarities

Kingdom

Highest taxonomic rank in biological classification

Phylum

Category below kingdom, grouping organisms with common features

Genus

Taxonomic rank below family and above species

Species

Group of organisms potentially capable of interbreeding

Species Name

Naming convention including genus and species names

Eubacteria

Kingdom of unicellular prokaryotes with circular DNA

Archaebacteria

Kingdom of unicellular prokaryotes with unique cell wall composition

Protista

Kingdom of eukaryotes, mainly unicellular, living in water

Protozoans

Animal-like protists capable of movement

Algae

Plant-like protists with chloroplasts for photosynthesis

Slime Mould

Protists existing as unicellular amoeba-like cells in feeding stage

Fungi

Kingdom of multicellular organisms with thread-like hyphae

Plantae

Kingdom of autotrophic organisms with cellulose cell walls

Vascular Plants

Plants with vascular tissues for water and food transport

Non-vascular Plants

Plants lacking vascular tissues, with simple stems and leaves

Ferns

Vascular plants producing spores for reproduction, without seeds

Conifers

Vascular plants bearing cones with naked seeds

Monocotyledonous Plants

Flowering plants with one cotyledon, parallel venation, and three petals

Dicotyledonous Plants

Flowering plants with two cotyledons, net venation, and four or five petals

Animalia

Kingdom of heterotrophic organisms without cell walls

Vertebrates

Animals with a backbone, including fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals

Invertebrates

Animals without a backbone, including jellyfish, earthworms, snails, and insects

Fish

Vertebrates with gills, fins, and external fertilization

Amphibians

Vertebrates using lungs and skin for gas exchange, with external fertilization

Reptiles

Vertebrates with lungs, dry scales, and internal fertilization