A 3.2.2 STUDY GUIDE for cladistics test (biology)

What are the eight main levels of classification in the traditional biological hierarchy, from broadest to most specific?

Domain, Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species.

Who formalized the original system of grouping and naming organisms with species as the smallest, most exclusive unit?

Carl Linnaeus.

Why does setting a fixed number of taxonomic ranks (like family or order) create a limitation in tracking evolution?

It sets an arbitrary limit on groupings that don't always correspond to the actual, fluid patterns of evolutionary divergence.

What issue arises when trying to classify genetically diverging populations using traditional rules?

It is often very difficult to distinguish exactly when they become unique, distinct species.

Why can relying purely on morphology (physical appearance) lead to mistakes in traditional classification?

Morphologically similar groups might look alike due to convergent evolution, even though they are not closely related.

What modern classification method is superseding Linnaeus's system to better reflect evolutionary relationships?

The cladistics approach, which uses an unlimited number of grouping levels based on shared common ancestors.