4.5 - Species and taxonomy

Define species.

A group of organisms that can interbreed

to produce fertile offspring.

What are the advantages of courtship

behaviour?

Individuals can recognise sexually

mature members of their own species of

the opposite sex, synchronise mating,

form a pair bond, and successfully

breed.

Define classification.

The process of arranging organisms into

groups.

Name the eight groups in the

classification hierarchy, from largest to

smallest.

domain → kingdom → phylum → class

→ order → family → genus → species

What system is used to give species a

universal name?

Binomial naming system

What are the two components to a

binomial name?

Generic name= the genus the organism

belongs to. Two closely related species

will share the same genus.

Specific name= the species the organism

belongs to.

How are binomial names handwritten?

The first letter of the generic name

should be capitalised, with the rest in

lowercase. The whole name should be

underlined.

What is phylogenetic classification?

The process of arranging organisms into

groups based on their evolutionary

origins and relationships.

How can we clarify evolutionary

relationships between organisms?

Analyse their molecular differences.

Advances in immunology/genome

sequencing provide clear pictures of how

related two organisms are.

Explain hierarchical classification.

● groups within groups

● no overlap between groups