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General Biology 2
Contextualized Self-Learning Module
Quarter 3 – Module 6: Lesson 1 - Basic Taxonomic Principles
First Edition, 2021

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Published by the Department of Education, Division of Palawan

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OIC - Assistant Schools Division Superintendents:
Rufino B. Foz
Arnaldo G. Ventura

Development Team of the Module

Writer: Rowena F. Panol
Content Editor: Maribeth Q. Adier
Language Editor: Josie Joshua R. Pasion
Management Team: Aurelia B. Marquez
Rosalyn C. Gadiano
Rodgie S. Demalinao

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Introductory Message
This Self-Learning Module (SLM) is prepared so that you, our dear learners, can
continue your studies and learn while at home. Activities, questions, directions,
exercises, and discussions are carefully stated for you to understand each
lesson.

Each SLM is composed of different parts. Each part shall guide you step-by-
step as you discover and understand the lesson prepared for you.

Pre-tests are provided to measure your prior knowledge of lessons in each SLM.
This will tell you if you need to proceed with completing this module or if you
need to ask your facilitator or your teacher’s assistance for a better
understanding of the lesson. At the end of each module, you need to answer
the post-test to self-check your learning. Answer keys are provided for each
activity and test. We trust that you will be honest in using these.

In addition to the material in the main text, Notes to the Teacher are also
provided to our facilitators and parents for strategies and reminders on how
they can best help you on your home-based learning.

Please use this module with care. Do not put unnecessary marks on any part
of this SLM. Use a separate sheet of paper in answering the exercises and tests.
And read the instructions carefully before performing each task

If you have any questions in using this SLM or any difficulty in answering the
tasks in this module, do not hesitate to consult your teacher or facilitator.

Thank you.

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 General Biology 2 Lesson 1:
Third Quarter
Week 5
Basic Taxonomic Principles

MELC: Identify the unique/ distinctive characteristics of a specific taxon

relative to other taxa STEM_BIO11/12IIIhj-15

Objectives: 1. Define taxonomy.

2. Distinguish the different classification systems.
3. Identify the distinctive characteristics of a specific taxon
relative to other taxa based on structure and function.
4. Explain how species are named using the binomial
nomenclature.

What I Know
Find out how much you have already known about the lesson by taking the
short test below. Take note of the questions that you find difficult to answer and
look for the correct answer as you go through this module.

Read each statement carefully. Choose the letter of the best answer. Write the
chosen letter on a separate sheet of paper.

1. Which grouping of organisms is considered to have the greatest amount of

diversity?
A. Species C. Domain
B. Order D. Kingdom

2. Which of the following shows the correct scientific name for a yellow fever
mosquito?
A. Aedes aegypti C. Aedes aegypti
B. Aedes Aegypti D. Aedes Aegypti

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3. What characteristic applies to all members of the kingdoms- Protista, Fungi,
Plantae, and Animalia but not to members of the other kingdoms?
A. Protista, Fungi, Plantae, and Animalia are multicellular.
B. Protista, Fungi, Plantae, and Animalia are heterotrophs.
C. Protista, Fungi, Plantae, and Animalia are eukaryotes.
D. Protista, Fungi, Plantae, and Animalia are prokaryotes.

4. Which of the following accurately lists the levels of classification in our current
taxonomic system?
A. Domain-kingdom-phylum-class-order-family-genus-species
B. Kingdom-phylum-class-order-family-genus-species-domain
C. Domain-Phylum-kingdom-class-order-family-genus-species
D. kingdom-family-order-species-phylum-class-domain-genus

5. Which of the following tells how to write a scientific name?

I. If a scientific name is written in a printed book or magazine, it should
be italicized.
II. After the scientific name has been written once completely, the genus
name often will be abbreviated to the first letter in later appearances.
III. When the scientific name has been written by hand, both parts of the
name should be underlined.
IV. The first letter of the genus name is always capitalized, but the rest of
the genus and all letters of the specific epithet are lowercase.
A. I, II, and III C. II, III, and IV
B. I, II, and IV D. I, II, III, and IV

6. Class Mammalia includes mammals that are haired or furred animals that
provide milk for their young. Monotremes are mammals that lay eggs. Like all
other mammals, lactate but lacks nipples, excreting milk from mammary
glands through skin openings. In which group are monotremes classified?
A. an order of class Mammalia
B. class other than class Mammalia
C. a phylum that does not include class Mammalia
D. a kingdom that does not include class Mammalia

7. Panthera tigris (tiger) and Panthera leo (leopard) are members of the same
A. phyla, but different kingdoms.
B. kingdoms, nut different phyla.
C. order, but different classes.
D. genus, but different species.

8. What is the science of identifying, classifying, and naming living organisms

called?
A. classification C. Taxonomy
B. identification D. Anatomy

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9. The primary objective of our modern classification system is to accomplish
which of the following conditions?
A. a Latin-sounding name for each species
B. a unique name for each species
C. species names that describe the organism
D. species names we can easily remember

10. What is the name for the classification system that uses two names?
A. classification studies
B. binomial nomenclature
C. binomial theorem
D. taxonomic levels

11. In the levels of classification, what comes after domain?

A. kingdom C. order
B. genus D. species

12. Which characteristic is most useful when classifying a eukaryote into a

kingdom?
A. how the organism moves
B. how the organism feeds
C. the organism's form and structure
D. the organism's color and mass

13. Solely from its name, you know that Rana clamitans must be
A. a plant. C. in the genus Clamitans.
B. an animal. D. in the genus Rana

14. How many groups did Aristotle classify organisms?

A. two groups – plants and animals
B. three groups- protists, plants, and animals
C. four groups- protists, protozoa, plants, and animals
D. five groups- protists, protozoa, fungi, plants, and animals

15. Which of the following statement best explains the Linnaean system of
classification?
A. The Linnaean system led to the use of binomial nomenclature to
identify each species.
B. The Linnaean system is based on similarities in obvious physical traits.
C. The Linnaean system consists of a hierarchy of taxa, from the kingdom
to the species.
D. All of the above.

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 What is It
Has anyone ever told you to get organized? You are probably expected to
keep your room in order. Your teachers might have asked you to organize your
notes or homework. Keeping items or information in order makes them easier
to find and understand. Biologists find it easier to communicate and retain
information about organisms when the organisms are organized into groups.
One of the principal tools for this is biological classification. Classification is the
grouping of objects or organisms based on a set of criteria.

Early Systems of Classification

Aristotle’s System. More than two thousand years ago, the Greek philosopher
Aristotle (384-323 B.C.) developed the first widely accepted system of
biological classification. Aristotle classified organisms as either animals or
plants. Animals were classified according to the presence or absence of “red
blood.” Aristotle’s “bloodless” and “red-blooded” animals nearly match the
modern distinction of invertebrates and vertebrates. Animals were further
grouped according to their habitats and morphology. Plants were classified by
average size and structure as trees, shrubs, or herbs.

Plants
Herbs Shrubs Trees
Violets Blackberry bush Apple
Rosemary Honeysuckle Oak
Onions Flannel bush Maple
Animals with Red Blood
Land Water Air
Wolf Dolphin Owl
Cat Eel Bat
Bear Sea bass Crow

Table 1 shows how Aristotle might have divided some of his groups.

Aristotle’s system was useful for organizing, but it had many limitations.
Aristotle’s system was based on his view that species are distinct, separate, and
unchanging. The idea that species are unchanging was common until Darwin
presented his theory of evolution. Because of his understanding of species,
Aristotle’s classification did not account for evolutionary relationships.
Additionally, many organisms do not fit easily into Aristotle’s system, such as
birds that do not fly or frogs that live both on land and in water. Nevertheless,

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many centuries passed before Aristotle’s system was replaced by a new system
that was better suited to the increased knowledge of the natural world.

Linnaeus’s System. In the eighteenth century, Swedish naturalist Carolus

Linnaeus (1707-1778), considered the father of taxonomy who first began to
separate organisms into hierarchical categories. Linnaeus is credited with
identifying over 10,000 different plant and animal species in his lifetime, more
than any other biologist. Like Aristotle, he based his system on observational
studies of the morphology and the behavior of organisms. For example, he
organized birds into three major groups depending on their behavior and
habitat. Linnaeus tried to describe and classify the entire known natural world.
In 1735, he published his classification system in a work called Systema Naturae
(“System of Nature”).

Philippine eagle Blue heron House finch

Preying bird Wading bird Perching bird
Photo Credit: Clipart-library.com
Figure 1illustrates the birds into three categories: The eagle is classified as a bird of prey, the
heron as a wading bird, and the house finch is grouped with the perching birds.

Linnaeus’ system of classification was the first formal system of taxonomic

organization. Taxonomy is a discipline of biology primarily concerned with
identifying, naming, and classifying species based on natural relationships. To
remember the order of the taxa in Linnaean taxonomy, learn a mnemonic,
which is a sentence made up of terms that start with the same letters as the
taxa: k, p, c, o, f, g, and s. Keep Piling Cookies On Fat Green Saucers is one
sentence you might use. You may make use of: Did King Phillip Come Over For
Good Soymilk for the latest eight-level taxonomic scheme.

The table below shows the classification of the human species. It also lists some
of the physical traits that are the basis of the classification. For example,
humans are members of the animal kingdom. Animals are organisms capable
of independent movement. Within the animal kingdom, humans belong to the
mammal class. Mammals are animals that have fur or hair and milk glands. At
each lower taxon, additional physical traits further narrow the group to which
humans belong. The final grouping, the species sapiens (as in Homo sapiens),
includes only organisms that have all of the traits listed in the table.

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 Taxon Name Traits
Kingdom Animal Organisms capable of moving on their own.
Phylum Chordate Animals with a notochord (the flexible rod that
supports the body).
Class Mammal Chordates with fur or hair and milk glands.
Order Primate Mammals with collar bones, grasping hands with
fingers.
Family Hominid Primates with three-dimensional vision, relatively
flat face.
Genus Homo Hominids with upright posture, large brain.
Species sapiens Members of the genus Homo with a high forehead,
thin skull bones
Table 2 shows the classification of the human species. Only one or two traits per taxon are
listed in the table as examples. Additional traits may be needed to properly classify species.
(Source: https://www.ck12.org/book/cbse_biology_book_class_xi/section/1.3/)

Changing Ideas About Kingdoms

Classification systems have changed dramatically since Linnaeus’s time and
hypotheses about relationships among organisms are still changing today as
new data are gathered.

Five Kingdom Classification. Robert H. Whittaker proposed this classification

scheme in 1969, later adopted by most biologists today. In his five-kingdom
classification, he designated all prokaryotes into one kingdom called Monera,
and all eukaryotes divide into four kingdoms, namely, Protista, Plantae, Fungi,
and Animalia. Although this system of classification seems to be more accurate
than the two-kingdom classification scheme, the placing of organisms into a
particular group changes over time. As biologists gain new information about
an organism, they propose rearrangements and changes in the classification,
specifically at the species level.

The kingdom Monera are prokaryotes that are unicellular organisms, lack a
true nucleus and other cell organelles. They are so small that a microscope is
required to be able to observe them. They are also so diverse and found in
almost all types of environment imaginable. Examples are Escherichia coli that
cause diarrhea and Lactobacillus spp. that are probiotic and found in a lot of
fermented food.

The kingdom Protista are mostly unicellular eukaryotes characteristically similar

to plants and animals. Although they are singled-celled, some of them are
visible to the naked eye because of their relatively larger cell size, because
some are aggregates or colonies of individual cells, while others are technically
multicellular. Protists are possibly the ancestors of complex and modern plants
and animals today. Examples are the dinoflagellates that cause red tide and
amoeba, a human parasite.

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The kingdom Plantae are multicellular eukaryotes known to evolve from
photosynthetic protists. This comprises all plants that are characteristically non-
motile, photosynthetic, and able to synthesize their complex organelles
(autotrophs). They have a cell wall made up of cellulose. Some examples are
fruits bearing trees (ex. Mango and guava) and ornamentals (orchids and
roses).

The kingdom Fungi is a group of multicellular eukaryotic organisms closely

related to plants. Non-photosynthetic, they obtain their nutrients from dead
and decaying organic matter and even diseased bodies of living organisms.
Like plants, they also have a cell wall with chitin as the principal component.
They are mostly decomposers that nourish themselves through absorption,
unlike animals that feed by digestion. They are non-motile and compensates
for this deficiency with filaments that grow and extend to any direction in their
environment. Examples are mushrooms, bread molds, and yeasts.

The kingdom Animalia is the most complex of all kingdoms regarding structure
and function. They are multicellular, cell wall-less eukaryotes that feed
differently depending on the species, either by ingestion, absorption, filtration,
among others (heterotrophs). They are motile, although small groups of this
kingdom are sedentary or stationary in their adult form. Reproductive strategy
varies from one species to another, but mostly by sexual means. Examples are
birds, mammals, and fishes.

Photo Credit: https://slideplayer.com/slide/10016034/

Figure 2 shows the 3-domain vs. 5-kingdom systems of classifications

Six Kingdom Classification. By the 1990s, researchers had learned a great deal
about the genetics and biochemistry of bacteria. That knowledge made clear
that the organisms in kingdom Monera were actually two genetically and
biochemically different groups. As a result, the monerans were separated into
two kingdoms, Eubacteria and Archaebacteria bringing the total number of
kingdoms to six. The six-kingdom system of classification includes the kingdoms
Eubacteria, Archaebacteria, Protista, Fungi, Plantae, and Animalia.

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 Figure 3 shows the 3-domain vs. 6-kingdom systems of classifications

CLASSIFICATION OF LIVING THINGS

DOMAIN Bacteria Archaea Eukarya
KINGDOM Eubacteria Archaebacteri Protista Fungi Plantae Animali
a a
CELL TYPE Prokaryote Prokaryote Eukaryote Eukaryot Eukaryot Eukaryot
e e e
Cell walls with Cell walls without Cell walls of Cell walls of Cell walls of No cell
CELL peptidoglyca peptidoglycan cellulose in chitin cellulose; walls or
STRUCTURE n some; some chloroplasts chloroplasts
have
S chloroplasts
Unicellular Unicellular Most Most Multicellular Multicellular
unicellular; multicellular
NUMBER some ; some
OF CELLS colonial; unicellular
some
multicellular
MODE OF Autotroph or Autotroph or Autotroph or Heterotroph Autotroph Heterotrop
heterotroph heterotroph heterotroph h
NUTRITION
Streptococcus Methanogens, Amoeba, Mushrooms, Mosses, Sponges,
, Escherichia halophiles Paramecium yeasts ferns, worms,
EXAMPLES coli , slime flowering insects,
molds, giant plants fishes,
Kelp mammals
Table 3 summarizes the key characteristics used to classify organisms into these major
taxonomic groups.

Binomial nomenclature. Linnaeus’s method of naming organisms, called

binomial nomenclature, set his system apart from Aristotle’s system and
remains valid today. Binomial nomenclature gives each species a scientific
name that has two parts. The first part is the genus name that identifies the
species. Latin is the basis for binomial nomenclature because Latin is an
unchanging language, and historically, it has been the language of science
and education. Biologists use scientific names for species because common
names vary in usage. The use of scientific names avoids the confusion that can
be created with common names. Binomial nomenclature also is useful
because common names can be misleading. If you were doing a scientific
study on fish, you would not include starfish in your studies. Starfish are not fish.
In the same way, sea cucumbers are not plants.

The application of binomial nomenclature is now governed by various

internationally agreed codes of rules. Some of the major rules in nomenclature,

8
as guided by the International Code of Nomenclature of Bacteria (ICNB) and
International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN) are the following: (1)
Names should be written in Latin. (2) The scientific name of an organism is
always written with the genus capitalized and the species epithet in lower case
letters. (3) Because the words are Latinized, they should be italicized. (4) When
scientific names are written by hand, each separate word should be
underlined. (5) The first name to be validly and effectively published gets the
priority. This rule has caused numerous name changes, particularly on fossil
organisms. (6) All taxa must have an author when described. For example,
Homo sapiens L., the L stands for Linnaeus who first successfully described and
named the organism.

Modern Classification Systems

The hierarchy of taxonomic classification. The classification used by scientists
today is based on the legacy of Carolus Linnaeus. During his time, the
classification system has seven levels or taxa arranged from the most general
to the most specific-Kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, and species
as shown in Figure 2. Each level is said to be nested, which means that a
particular level is a subset of the level above it.

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Aves

Order: Accipitriformes

Family: Accipitridae

Genus: Pithecophaga

Species: Pithecophaga jefferyi

Figure 2 shows the taxonomic ranking of the Philippine eagle.

Today, organisms are classified into eight levels, they are species, genus, family,
order, class, phylum, kingdom, and domain as the highest category.
Organisms are categorized into a broad group followed by placing them into
more specific groups. It is important to remember that the more classification
levels that two organisms share, the more characteristics they commonly share
as well. A named group of organisms is called a taxon (plural, taxa). Taxa
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range from having broad diagnostic characteristics to having specific
characteristics. The broader characteristics, the more species the taxon
contains.
One way to think taxa is to imagine nesting boxes- one fitting inside the other.
You have already learned about two taxa used by Linnaeus-genus and
species. Today, a genus (plural, genera) is defined as a group of species that
are closely related and share a common ancestor. A family is the next higher
taxon, consisting of similar, related genera. Closely related families are
grouped into the next larger rank-an order. Similar orders, in turn, are grouped
into the next larger rank, a class. Classes are grouped into a phylum (plural,
phyla). Both phylum and division occur below kingdom and above class. The
key distinction between phylum and division is that phylum is a classification
level of the animal kingdom whereas division is the alternative classification
level to the phylum in the kingdom Plantae and Fungi. A phylum includes
organisms that are different but share important characteristics. The taxon
composed of related phyla or division is a kingdom. The domain is the broadest
of all the taxa and contains one or more kingdoms.

Species

Canis familiaris Canis lupus

Genus Canis
Family Canidae
Order Carnivora
Class Mammalia
Phylum Chordata
Kingdom Animalia
Domain Eukarya
Figure 3 shows the taxonomic categories that are contained within one another like nesting
boxes. Notice that the domestic dog and the wolf are different species; however, their
classification is the same for all other categories.

Today, the great diversity of life is placed into the three domains and the
kingdoms based on their cell type, their food-making process, and the number
of cells their bodies contain. The three domains of life (Bacteria, Archaea, and
Eukarya) arose from a hypothetical common ancestor, shown at the base of
the evolutionary tree.

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 Figure 4 depicts the three domains: Bacteria, Archaea, and Eukarya.

The species in domains Bacteria and Archaea are superficially similar to one
another; all are prokaryotes, meaning their DNA is free in the cell and not
confined to an organelle called a nucleus. Major differences in DNA
sequences separate these two domains from each other. Domain Eukarya, on
the other hand, contains all species of eukaryotes, which are unicellular or
multicellular organisms whose cells contain a nucleus. The domain Eukarya is
made up of four kingdoms: Plantae, Fungi, Animalia, and Protista. Plants,
animals, fungi, and protists might seem very different, but remember that if you
look through a microscope, you will find similar cells with a membrane-bound
nucleus in all of them. These are eukaryotic cells. These cells also have
membrane-bound organelles, which prokaryotic cells lack. The main
characteristics of the three domains of life are summarized in the table below.

Archaea Bacteria Eukarya

Multicellular No No Yes
Cell wall Yes, without Yes, without Varies. Plants and
peptidoglycan peptidoglycan fungi have a cell
wall; animals do
not.
Nucleus No No Yes
(Membrane-
Enclosed DNA)
Membrane-Bound No No Yes
Organelles

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 What I Can Do
Activity 1. Classify ME!
Do the activity on the classification of fruits and write your answer on a
separate sheet of paper.

1. Obtain five different fruits.

2. Use a knife to cut each fruit open and examine its structure. CAUTION:
Be careful with sharp instruments.
3. Construct a table with five rows and four columns. Label each row
with the name of different fruit.
4. Examine the fruits, and choose four characteristics that help you tell
the fruits apart. Label the columns in your table with the names of
these characteristics.
5. Record a description of each fruit in the table.

Analyze and Conclude

1. Based on your table, which fruits most closely resemble one another?

Activity 2. Complete ME!

Complete the following table for the taxonomic classification of the horse.

Taxon Horse’s Rank Characteristics of organisms belonging to

the taxon
Domain
Kingdom
Phylum
Class
Order
Family
Genus
Species

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 What’s More

Activity 3. Classification Analogy

Biologists develop a way of organizing the biological entities into groups and
categories according to their shared characteristics. This is classification.
Grouping organisms enable biologists to lessen their difficulty in studying these
different organisms. In this activity, you will learn about the major classification
groups and how organisms are named.

A. Addressing an envelope

Coleen Panol
Evina St., Brgy. SanJuan
Aborlan, Palawan
Philippines

1. In the addressed envelope, which numbers correspond to the most

specific part of the address?___________________________________

2. Which numbers correspond to the most general part of the

address?______________________________________________________

3. Classify the full address using the envelope model by filling in the
necessary details in the table below.
__________________________________________________________________

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B. Linnaean Classification
Envelope Taxa House Cat Mountain Domestic
Lion Dog
Country
Province
Town
Barangay
Street
name
Last name
First name

4. Use the Linnaean taxonomic groupings to complete the third, fourth,

and fifth columns of the table.

5. Which two organisms are most closely related? Explain your answer.
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________

6. At which taxonomic level do the organisms you identified in question 5

separate?___________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________

7. How many taxa are in common for all organisms?

_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________

8. What is the most specific taxonomic grouping in which all the organisms
are the same?
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________

9. Which taxon includes the vertebrates, the most highly evolved animals?
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________

10. Which taxon includes animals that are warm-blooded and have glands
specialized to produce milk?
_____________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________

14
Activity 4. What Do You Think?
Based on the discussion, justify your answer to the following questions.
1. What makes a seahorse and a tilapia to be both classified as fishes even
if they live in two different types of

aquatic habitat?

2. Why is it important for a supermarket to have a classification scheme for

displaying the foods that it sells?

3. If you start conversing with a friend who is not familiar with scientific names,
how would you describe why it is important and how scientists name species?

15
 What I Have Learned
Direction: After reading the section in your module, respond to each
statement.
1. Differentiate the various classification systems.

___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

2. Name the eight taxonomic levels in the modern classification system from
the largest to smallest.

___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

3. Explain how binomial nomenclature is related to classification systems by

identifying the genus name and the specific name of the domestic cat, Felis
cattus.
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
4. Imagine three new organisms that are in the same genus. Give each of them
a common name. Describe the characteristics that are similar and different.

___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________

16
Directions: The table below compares the three domains and six kingdoms. Use
the information in the table to answer the following questions.

Classification of Living Things

DOMAIN Bacteria Archaea Eukarya
KINGDOM Eubacteria Archaebacteri Protista Fungi Plantae Animali
a a
CELL TYPE Prokaryote Prokaryote Eukaryote Eukaryot Eukaryot Eukaryot
e e e
CELL Cell walls with Cell walls without Cell walls of Cell walls of Cell walls of No cell
STRUCTURE peptidoglyca peptidoglycan cellulose in chitin cellulose; walls or
S n some; some chloroplasts chloroplasts
have
chloroplasts
NUMBER Unicellular Unicellular Most Most Multicellular Multicellular
OF CELLS unicellular; multicellular
some ; some
colonial; unicellular
some
multicellular
MODE OF Autotroph or Autotroph or Autotroph or Heterotroph Autotroph Heterotroph
NUTRITION heterotroph heterotroph heterotroph
EXAMPLES Streptococcus Methanogens, Amoeba, Mushrooms, Mosses, Sponges,
, Escherichia halophiles Paramecium yeasts ferns, worms,
coli , slime molds, flowering insects,
giant Kelp plants fishes,
mammals

1. Interpret Tables. Which kingdom has cells that lack cell walls? Which domain
contains multicellular organisms?

2. Compare and Contrast. Based on information in the table, how are the
members of domain Bacteria? How are organisms in domain Archaea similar
to those in domain Eukarya?

17
 Assessment

Congratulations on finishing the lesson. Everything is over except for the

assessment below. Read each statement carefully. Choose the letter of the
best answer. Write the chosen letter on a separate sheet of paper.
1. When the eight levels of classification are listed from broadest to narrowest,
which level is sixth in the list?
A. class C. genus
B. order D. family

2. Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of Linnaean’s system for

naming organisms?
A. two-part name
B. multi-part name describing several traits
C. name that identifies the organism’s genus
D. name that includes the organism’s species identifier

3. What is the difference between the classification given by Linnaeus and the
classification given by Aristotle?
A. Linnaeus like Aristotle classified organisms based on their physical
structure, but he also considered structural similarities between
organisms when classifying them.
B. Linnaeus classified organisms according to their traits but, unlike
Linnaeus, Aristotle divided the kingdom into five levels: class, order,
genus, and species, based on similarities of body parts, physical form
such as size, shape, and methods of getting food.
C. Linnaeus devised the first system of animal classification by observing
animals and categorizing them into two groups whereas Aristotle
devised the binomial system of classification, the system by which
species are named.
D. The classification systems of both Aristotle and Linnaeus started with
the same two groups: Plants and Animals. But, unlike Aristotle,
Linnaeus classified organisms into three groups: Fungi, Plants, and
Animals.

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Below is a chart listing some of the traits of each kingdom within the eukaryotic
domain. Use this chart to respond to the next two questions.

Kingdoms of the Eukarya Domain

Characteristic Protists Plantae Fungi Animalia

Complexity Usually Multicellular Usually Multicellular

Unicellular multicellular
Nutrition Heterotrophic Autotrophs by Heterotrophs Heterotrophs
by absorption photosynthesis by absorption by ingestion
or ingestion or
photosynthetic
Motility Sometimes by Nonmotile Nonmotile Yes, by
flagella or cilia contractile
fibers
Life Cycle Various Alteration of Haploid Diploid.
generations
Internal
Protection of No Yes No Yes
Zygote

4. One type of organism is multicellular and performs photosynthesis. Into which

kingdom does this organism most likely belong?
A. Animalia C. Fungi
B. Plantae D. Protists

5. These organisms are eukaryotic, nearly all are multicellular; they are
nonphotosynthetic. To which kingdom do they best fit?
A. Protists C. Animalia
B. Fungi D. Plantae

6. On what basis did Linnaeus group species in his classifications?

A. their geographic origin
B. their phylogenetic relationships
C. their similarities and differences
D. their taxonomy

7. In which of the following are the Linnaean ranks in the correct order?
A. phylum, kingdom, species C. genus, order, family
B. order, class, family D. kingdom, phylum, class

Use the table below to answer item No. 8 -9.

Taxon Human Domestic Mountain Green Frog
Dog Lion
Kingdom Animalia Animalia Animalia Animalia

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 Phylum Chordata Chordata Chordata Chordata
Class Mammalia Mammalia Mammalia Amphibia
Order Primates Carnivora Carnivora Anura
Family Hominidae Canidae Felidae Ranidae
Genus Homo Canis Felis Rana
Species Homo Canis Felis Rana
sapiens familiaris concolor clamitans

8. To which taxa (taxon) do all four organisms belong?

A. phylum B. class C. order D. family

9. Based on the table of taxonomic categories, it can be concluded that dogs

and humans are located in the same
A. genus B. family C. class D. order

10. Caryll is making a comparison between three species. Many of the traits of
the two are similar. However, they share very few traits with the third
organism. What conclusions can Caryll draw about the relatedness
between these three organisms?
A. The first two species are related to the third in the same way.
B. The first two species are unrelated, but each is related to the third.
C. The species relatedness is determined by the traits that the first two
share.
D. The first two species are more closely related to one another than
the third.

11. Which of the following is the best description of taxonomy?

A. Taxonomy is the study of classifying organisms based on similar
structures and DNA sequences.
B. Taxonomy is the study of grouping organisms based on traditional
naming systems.
C. Taxonomy is the study of giving organisms a two-word name in Latin.
D. Taxonomy is the study of classifying and naming organisms based on
shared characteristics.

12. There are four peculiar animals labeled A, B, C, and D. Animals A and B
share the same phylum. Animals B and C share the same order. Animals
C and D share the same genus. Based on this information, what animals
are MOST LIKELY to be similar?
A. C and D C. B and C
B. A and B D. A and D

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13. Which of the following pairs is most closely related?
A. ferns and mushrooms
B. amoeba and bacteria
C. earthworm and caterpillars
D. birds and fish

14. What can we infer about bacteria based on the diagram below?

Eukarya
Eubacteria
Archaea
Bacteria

A. There is one domain within the kingdom bacteria

B. There is only one kingdom within the domain of bacteria
C. There are three domains within the kingdom bacteria
D. There are three kingdoms with the domain bacteria

15. Why do scientists use binomial nomenclature to name species?

A. Binomials are specific and universally understood by scientists.
B. Binomials tell scientists how a species looks, relative to others in the
same genus.
C. A single binomial can be used for many species, making it easier to
name different animals.
D. A binomial is easier to remember than a long name with multiple Latin
words.

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 22
Activity 2. Complete ME!
Taxon Horse’s Rank Characteristics of organisms belonging to the
taxon
Domain Eukarya Horses are classified in the Domain Eukarya
because they have cells that have organelles.
Kingdom Animalia Horses are classified as Animalia because they
do not have cell walls. Their cells are also
organized into tissues, each of which performs a
particular function.
Phylum Chordata They have a notochord, bilateral symmetry,
bony endoskeleton, pharyngeal pouches, a
well-developed coelom, and three germ layers
at some stage of development.
Class Mammalia Each of their middle ear bones serves as an
anvil, hammer, and stirrup. They also have
mammalian hair, and females have mammary
glands that produce milk.
Order Perissodactyla Herbivorous mammals characterized by the
possession of either one or three hoofed toes on
each hindfoot. Each foot has an odd number of
toes; in the case of horses, there is only one left.
Also, the anterior portion of the skull is elongated,
and they have 44 teeth. They have an enlarged
cecum and a simple stomach. Another reason is
that they use bacterial digestion to digest
cellulose.
Family Equidae They take their steps on the tips of their toes.
Horses have a mane on their throat and are
heavily haired.
Genus Equus Equus is the only remaining genus in the Equidae
family.
Species caballus The genus and species of the horse are Equus
Caballus.
Activity 1. Classify ME!
Answers may vary.
Answer Key
 23
Post-Test Pre-Test
1. D 1. C
2. B 2. C
3. A 3. C
4. B 4. A
5. B 5. D
6. C 6. A
7. D 7. D
8. A 8. C
9. C 9. A
10. C 10. B
11. D 11. A
12. A 12. C
13. B 13. D
14. B 14. A
15. A 15. D
What Have I Learned
Answers may vary.
Activity 4. What do you think?
Answers may vary.
Activity 3. Classification Analogy
1. 1, 5, 2, 6
2. 3, 7, 4
3-4
Envelope Taxa House Cat Mountain Domestic
lion Dog
Country Philippines Kingdom Animalia Animalia Animalia
Province Palawan Phylum Chordata Chordata Chordata
Town Aborlan Class Mammalia Mammalia Mammalia
Barangay San Juan Order Carnivora Carnivora Carnivora
Street name Evina St. Family Felidae Felidae Canidae
Last name Panol Genus Felis Felis Canis
First name Coleen Species domesticus concolor familiaris
5. House cat and Mountain lion
6. Species
7. Four
8. Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order
9. Phylum
10. Class
References

Miller, Kenneth R., and Joseph S. Levine. (2010). “Biology”, 2010 Pearson
Education, Inc.., or its affiliates. p. 516-528.
Rea, Maria Angelica D., and Nikki Heherson A. Dagamac. (2017). “General
Biology 2”, Rex Bookstore Inc. p. 179-193
Ramos, Anna Cherylle M., and John Donnie A. Ramos (2017). “General
Biology 2”, Phoenix Publishing House Inc. p. 293-305

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Department of Education – SDO Palawan

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2nd Floor DepED Palawan Building
Telephone no. (048) 433-3292

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