Taxonomy Review

These flashcards cover key terms and definitions related to taxonomy, its history, classification systems, and the importance of scientific naming.

Taxonomy

The science of classifying organisms, with the purposes of identifying them and showing relationships among them.

Binomial Nomenclature

A naming system introduced by Linnaeus that gives each species a scientific name composed of the genus and species names.

The Three Domains of Life

The three main classifications of living organisms: Bacteria, Archaea, and Eukarya.

Kingdoms of Life

The six main kingdoms in taxonomy: Monera, Eubacteria, Archaea, Protista, Fungi, Plantae, and Animalia.

Dichotomous Key

A tool that biologists use to determine the scientific name of an organism by making a series of choices.

Common Name vs. Scientific Name

Scientific names are preferred because they are unique, stable, and universally accepted, avoiding confusion caused by common names.

Linnaeus

The scientist who developed the modern system of naming organisms, known as binomial nomenclature.

Taxa Levels

The main levels in taxonomy are Domain, Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, and Species.

Ursus americanus

The scientific name for the American black bear.

Homo sapiens

The scientific name for humans.