1

Features of organism and dichotomous key

1 State two features of birds, other than the beak, that can be used to classify them as birds.

1 ...............................................................................................................................................

2 ............................................................................................................................................... [2]

[Total: 2]

2 Living organisms are classified into kingdoms. The organism shown in the photograph belongs to
the plant kingdom.

State the name of one other kingdom.

.................................................................................................................................................. [1]

[Total: 1]

3 Respiration is one of the characteristics of living things.

Tick (✓) two boxes to show two other characteristics of all living things.

breathing

excretion

growth

photosynthesis

sexual reproduction

[2]

[Total: 2]
 2

4 Crustaceans are one group of arthropods.

State the names of two other groups of arthropods.

1 ...............................................................................................................................................

2 ............................................................................................................................................... [2]

[Total: 2]

5 Penicillin is produced by biotechnology industries.

The flow diagram shows some of the steps in the production of penicillin.

Organism A belongs to the fungus kingdom.

State two main features of fungal cells that are used to distinguish them from the cells of prokaryotes.

1 ...............................................................................................................................................

2 ............................................................................................................................................... [2]

[Total: 2]
 3

6 The diagram is of a virus.

Identify the parts of the virus labelled N and O.

N ..............................................................................................................................................

O .............................................................................................................................................. [2]

[Total: 2]

7 Some students were studying the activity of yeast. They made a fact file, as shown in the diagram.

State the kingdom in which yeast is classified.

.................................................................................................................................................. [1]

[Total: 1]
 4

8 The Arabian oryx and the northern white rhinoceros are both mammals.

Photograph A is of an Arabian oryx.

photograph A

Photograph B is of a northern white rhinoceros.

photograph B

Describe two pieces of evidence visible in photograph A and photograph B that show these animals
are mammals.

1 ...............................................................................................................................................

2 ............................................................................................................................................... [2]

[Total: 2]
 5

9 State the name of the group of organisms that produce milk to feed their young.

.................................................................................................................................................. [1]

[Total: 1]

10 State the name of the large group of organisms that includes insects, arachnids, crustaceans and
myriapods.

.................................................................................................................................................. [1]

[Total: 1]
 6

11 The classification of giant pandas, Ailuropoda melanoleuca, is debated by many scientists.

Photograph A shows a giant panda eating bamboo plants.

photograph A

Photograph B shows a red panda, Ailurus fulgens.

photograph B

red panda eating bamboo plants

 7

Photograph C shows a polar bear, Ursus maritimus.

photograph C

polar bear eating fish

State two features, visible in photographs A, B and C, that identify the three animals as all belonging
to the same vertebrate group.

1 ...............................................................................................................................................

2 ............................................................................................................................................... [2]

[Total: 2]

12 The diagram is of a prokaryotic cell.

State one visible feature in the diagram that identifies this cell as a prokaryotic cell.

.................................................................................................................................................. [1]

[Total: 1]
 8

13 The photograph shows animals that belong to one vertebrate group.

State the name of this vertebrate group and give one visible characteristic feature of this group.

name of group ......................................................

feature of group ........................................................................................................................ [2]

[Total: 2]
 9

14 The photograph shows animals that belong to the vertebrate group, mammals.

State the names of two other groups of vertebrates.

1 ...............................................................................................................................................

2 ............................................................................................................................................... [2]

[Total: 2]
 10

15 The photograph is of a lobster, which is an arthropod.

Describe two pieces of evidence visible in the photograph that identify this organism as an arthropod.

1 ...............................................................................................................................................

2 ............................................................................................................................................... [2]

[Total: 2]
 11

16 The photograph is of a butterfly.

Butterflies are arthropods.

State the group of arthropods that the butterfly belongs to and describe one feature visible in the
photograph that is characteristic of this group.

group ........................................................................................................................................

feature ...................................................................................................................................... [2]

[Total: 2]
 12

17 Many living organisms can be classified as plants or animals.

The table shows some features of animals and plants.

Place ticks (✓) in the boxes to show the correct features of animals and plants.

feature animals plants

can respire

can grow

can make their own food

contain DNA

can respond to changes in their

environment

[5]

[Total: 5]

18 Bacteria are classified in the Prokaryote kingdom.

State two features of animal and plant cells that are not found in prokaryotes.

1 ...............................................................................................................................................

2 ............................................................................................................................................... [2]

[Total: 2]

19 State two features of cells that are shared by all living organisms.

1 ...............................................................................................................................................

2 ............................................................................................................................................... [2]

[Total: 2]
 13

20 Myriapods are a group of arthropods that are commonly found in soil habitats in many parts of the
world. Many myriapods are very small and not easy to identify.

The diagram below shows four species of myriapod, not drawn to the same scale.

Polydesmus Cylindroiulus Scutigera Scolopocryptops

denticulatus punctatus coleoptrata sexspinosus

(a) State three features of all myriapods that are visible in the myriapods above.

1.........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

2.........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

3......................................................................................................................................... [3]
 14

(b) Describe three features of myriapods that could be used to make a dichotomous key to
distinguish between the four species shown above.

1.........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

2.........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

3.........................................................................................................................................

........................................................................................................................................... [3]

[Total: 6]
 15

21 Diagram A is a branching key that can be used to identify different types of crustaceans.

diagram A
 16

Diagram B shows six crustaceans.

Use the key in diagram A to identify the six different types of crustacean.

Write the letters on the lines in diagram B.

diagram B

[5]

[Total: 5]
 17

22 Keys can be used to identify a species.

The diagram shows drawings of six different birds and their names.

Use the key to identify the birds in the diagram.

Complete the table by writing the letters of the birds A to F in the correct box.

key letter of bird

(a) beak is longer than the head go to 2

1
(b) beak is shorter than the head go to 3

(a) beak curves upwards C

2
(b) beak does not curve upwards go to 4

(a) top part of the beak is hooked over the bottom part of the beak go to 5
3
(b) top part of the beak is not hooked over the bottom part of the beak E

(a) top part of the beak is shorter than bottom part of the A
4
(b) beak has a large projection above the beak B

(a) head has a stripe F

5
(b) head does not have a stripe D
 18

name of bird in diagram letter of the bird in the key

Ammodramus bairdii

Buceros rhinoceros

Pandion haliaetus

Haliaeetus leucocephalus

Rynchops niger

Recurvirostra avosetta

[5]

[Total: 5]
 19

23 Diagram A is a dichotomous key. It can be used to identify different types of tree by using their
leaves.

diagram A

Diagram B shows leaves from six different trees.

Use the key in diagram A to identify the six different types of tree.

Write the name of each tree on the lines in diagram B.

diagram B
20

[Total: 5]
 21

24 The diagram shows six species of reptiles.

Use the key to identify each species. Write the letter of each species (A–F) in the correct empty
box beside the key.
 22

1 (a) organism has a shell (hard covering on its back) go to 2

(b) organism does not have a shell go to 3

2 (a) organism has flat limbs (flippers) Caretta caretta

(b) organism has legs and feet Chelonoidis nigra

3 (a) organism has limbs go to 4

(b) organism has a long body and no limbs Crotalus viridis

4 (a) organism has ridges on its back go to 5

(b) organism has no ridges on its back Varanus bengalensis

5 (a) organism has a coiled tail Chamaeleo calyptratus

(b) organism has a straight tail Alligator mississippiensis

[5]

[Total: 5]
 23

25 The diagram shows six leaves.

not to scale

Use the key to identify the plants that these leaves came from.
 24

Write the letter for each leaf in the key.

Key

description name of organisms letter

1 (a) veins parallel go to 2

(b) veins not parallel go to 3

leaf length more than six times leaf

2 (a) Plantago maritima
width at its widest point

leaf length less than six times leaf

(b) Plantago lanceolata
width at its widest point

3 (a) leaf has thorns (spikes) Ilex aquifolium

(b) leaf has no thorns (spikes) go to 4

4 (a) leaf not divided into sections Nymphaea alba

(b) leaf divided into sections go to 5

5 (a) leaf divided into 3 sections Trifolium pratense

(b) leaf divided into 8 sections Lupinus arboreus

[5]

[Total: 5]
 25

26 The diagram shows leaves from five different species of tree.

Use the key to identify each tree species in the diagram.

Write the letter of each tree species (A, B, C, D, E) in the correct box beside the key.

1 (a) multiple narrow, needle-like leaves go to 2

(b) single leaf which is not needle-like go to 3

2 (a) leaves are evenly spread along the branch Juniperus communis

(b) leaves start from a single point Cedrus deodara

3 (a) leaf has an unlobed smooth edge Frangula alnus

(b) leaf has a lobed edge go to 4

4 (a) lobes have a smooth, rounded edge Quercus robur

(b) lobes have a jagged, irregular edge Acer pseudoplatanus

[4]

[Total: 4]
 26

27 The diagram shows five whole leaves from different trees.

Use the key to identify the leaves in the diagram and write the answers in the table.

key name of tree letter

(a) leaf is a single leaf shape go to 2

1
(b) leaf is divided into several parts called leaflets go to 4

(a) veins branch from a long middle vein go to 3

2
(b) veins branch from a single point at the stalk Hedera

(a) leaf is oval and has a smooth edge Magnolia

3
(b) leaf is not oval and has a lobed edge Quercus

(a) leaf has leaflets joined at one point on the stalk Aesculus
4
(b) leaf has leaflets joined at different points along the stalk Sorbus

[4]

[Total: 4]
 27

28 The diagram below shows six different insects.

A
B

C D

not drawn to scale

 28

Use the key to identify the insects labelled A, B, E and F.

Write your answers in the table below.

key

description name of insect

1 (a) insect has wings go to 2

(b) insect has no wings go to 3

2 (a) one pair of wings go to 4

(b) two pairs of wings go to 5

3 (a) two tail pieces springtail

(b) three tail pieces silverfish

4 (a) abdomen is pointed robber fly

(b) abdomen is rounded hoverfly

5 (a) antennae are pointed large yellow moth

(b) antennae have rounded ends clouded yellow butterfly

insect name of insect

[4]

[Total: 4]
 29

29 The diagram below shows five different mammals.

not drawn to scale

 30

Use the key to identify the mammals shown in the diagram.

Write the letter of each species (A to E) in the correct box beside the key.

key

letter

1 (a) has webbed feet go to 2

(b) does not have webbed feet go to 3

2 (a) tail wide and flattened Castor canadensis

(b) tail rounded, ending in a point Lutra lutra

3 (a) body fur striped Panthera tigris

(b) body fur not striped go to 4

4 (a) tail has tuft of dark fur at the end Panthera leo

(b) no tuft of fur at end of tail Canis lupus

[4]

[Total: 4]
 31

30 The diagram below shows five different mammals.

The diagram is not drawn to scale.

B C

D E

Use the key to identify the mammals shown in the diagram.

Write the letter of each species (A to E) in the correct box beside the key.
 32

key

letter

1 (a) has visible external ears go to 2

(b) does not have visible external ears Eschrichtius robustus

2 (a) stands on four legs go to 3

(b) stands on two legs go to 4

3 (a) has two horns between its ears Antidorcas marsupialis

(b) has two horns in front of its ears Diceros bicornis

4 (a) has ears placed on top of head Macropus rufus

(b) has ears placed at the side of head Homo sapiens

[4]

[Total: 4]