7.

Diversity in Living Organisms

Check Point 01

1. Question

Certain regions of the earth have rich biodiversity of species. What are these
regions called? Give examples.

Answer

The regions of the earth which have a rich biodiesel of species are called
biodiversity hotspots. More than half of the earth's biodiversity is supposed
to be concentrated in these areas. For example Brazil, Columbia, Ecuador,
Australia, India, etc. Biodiversity hotspots in India are present in Western
Ghats, Eastern Himalayas, Indo- Burma border, etc.

2. Question

List the basis on which Aristotle classi ied organisms?

Answer

Aristotle classi ied organisms into two groups- plants and animals. The
animals were further classi ied based on their habitat, i.e. whether they lived
on land, in water, or in air. The plants were categorised as small medium and
large.

3. Question

Name an organism who carries out all its body functions through a single
cell?

Answer

Bacteria is one such organism which carries out all its body functions
through a single cell. Belonging to kingdom Monera , the bacteria are single
celled organisms which don’t have a well de ined nucleus or organelles. But ,
they have special mechanisms to carry out metabolic functions through
single cell only.

4. Question

Suggest, how does functional organization of any organism help in

classi ication?

Answer
In situations where cells are grouped together to form an indivisible
organism , the principle of division of labour is followed. All cells in these
organisms are not identical and particular group of cells perform particular
functions. This functional similarity of cells leads to their organisation in a
speci ic manner which dictates their body design. This makes a basic
distinction in the body design of organisms, simplifying the classi ication
process.

5. Question

Who wrote the book “The Origin of Species”?

Answer

Charles Darwin wrote “The Origin of Species” in 1859. It was his most famous
work .

Check Point 02

1. Question

State the contribution of Biologists, such as Wosse and Whittaker in

formulating the basis of classi ication?

Answer

Ernst Haeckel, Robert Whittaker and Carl Woese made attempt at classifying
all organisms into category or kingdoms.

Robert Whittaker proposed a ive kingdom classi ication, which includes

Monera, Protista , Fungi, Plantae and Animalia , and Woese modi ied it by
dividing Monera into archaebacteria and eubacteria.

2. Question

How is kingdom the highest category of taxonomic study?

Answer

All organisms have been grouped into ive categories called kingdoms , based
on cell structure, mode of nutrients, source of nutrition and body
organization. Kingdoms include organisms of different species, genus , class ,
family, order and phylum. Hence, it is the highest category of taxonomic
study.

3. Question

To which kingdom blue-green algae belongs?

Answer
Blue-green algae belong to kingdom Monera, because they lack well de ined
nucleus, organelles, and don’t have a multicellular body organization. They
are autotrophic in nature.

4. Question

Both bacteria and Amoeba are single-called, yet are placed in different
kingdoms. Give one reason.

Answer

Though both are unicellular, bacteria are prokaryotic whereas amoeba is

eukaryotic in body design. This means that the bacteria don’t have a well
de ined nucleus or organelles, but in amoeba, the nucleus and organelles are
well de ined. Thus they are grouped separately.

5. Question

An organism feeds on dead matter. Which kingdom is it most likely to belong

to?

Answer

An organism which feeds on dead and decaying matter is called a saprophytic

organism. Such organisms belong to kingdom fungi.

6. Question

In which kingdom would you place an organism which is multicellular and

without cell wall?

Answer

Multicellular eukaryotic organisms without cell wall are placed under

kingdom Animalia. Organisms of kingdom Plantae have cell wall and the
organisms of other kingdoms are unicellular.

Check Point 03

1. Question

Identify the group of plant kingdom, in which plant body is differentiated into
stem and leaf-like structure?

Answer

Bryophytes are differentiated into stem and leaf like structure. Thallophyta
don’t have such structures and Pteridophytes are differentiated into stem and
leaf.

2. Question
Give an example of vascular cryptogams.

Answer

Pteridophytes such as Marsilea are vascular cryptogams, because they have

specialised structures for transportation of water and nutrients, but their
reproductive organs are hidden.

3. Question

Gymnosperms as well as angiosperms bear seeds. Why are they classi ied
separately? Give one reason.

Answer

Gymnosperms have naked seeds while the seeds in angiosperms are enclosed
in a lower. Hence, they are grouped separately.

Examples: woody shrubs and trees include pines, spruces, irs, and ginkgoes.

4. Question

Which group of plants is known as lowering plants?

Answer

Angiosperms are known as lowering plants, because they produce lowers.

Examples: pines, cedars, spruces and irs.

5. Question

What is the scienti ic term used for seed leaves?

Answer

Seed leaves are called cotyledons in scienti ic terms.

Check Point 04

1. Question

On the basis of the presence and absence of coelom how are animals
classi ied?

Answer

On the basis of presence or absence of coelom, animals are classi ied into
three groups :

1. Acoelomate – which don’t have coelom.

2. Pseudo coelomate - which have a false cavity.

3. Coelomate- which have a true body cavity.

2. Question

Write two characteristic features of the phylum the contains the irst animals
with complete alimentary canal.

Answer

Nematodes are irst animals to have complete alimentary canal.

1. They are pseudo coelomate.

2. They are cylindrical in body structure

3. Question

Animals of which phylum are considered to be the irst animals having true
body cavity, coelom? Name the phylum.

Answer

Annelida is the irst phylum to have animals with true body cavity.

Explanation: Annelida is a group commonly referred to as segmented worms,

and they are found worldwide from the deepest marine sediments to the soils
in our city parks and yards

4. Question

Name the animal and its respective phylum having parapodia for locomotion.

Answer

Nereis of phylum Annelida has parapodia for locomotion.

5. Question

Give the characteristics of phylum/group having the largest number of

animals.

Answer

Phylum arthropoda has the highest number of animals. It’s features are :

1. Open circulatory system.

2. It has blood illed coelomic cavity.

3. They have jointed appendages.

6. Question
Give the features of the phylum to which Chiton and Pila belong?

Answer

Chiton and Pila belong to Mollusca phylum. It’s features are :

1. Reduced coelomic cavity.

2. Little segmentation.

3. Kidney like organ for excretion

4. Open circulatory system

5. Foot like appendage for movement.

7. Question

Vertebrata is considered as the most advanced group of animals. Give one

reason.

Answer

Vertebrates are most advanced group of animals because they have a true
vertebral column and internal skeleton.

8. Question

Amongst sponge, mollusc, snail, lizard, which one is the simplest animals and
Why?

Answer

Sponge is the simplest animal of the given because it has the minimally
differentiated body design.

9. Question

Does feather star belongs to class-Aves?

Answer

No, feather star is an echinoderm, because it has a slender skinned body, and
is exclusively marine. It also has a water driven tube system to help in
moving around.

Check Point 05

1. Question

Scienti ic name is related to classi ication. What information does it provide?

Answer
Scienti ic name provides the genus and species name of an organism, thus
indicating the group in which the organism belongs . It also helps in grouping
organisms of same category together, thus helping in classi ication.

2. Question

Who proposed the binomial nomenclature?

Answer

Carolus Linnaeus proposed binomial nomenclature.

3. Question

Give two norms of writing scienti ic names.

Answer

1. The name of genus should start with a capital letter and that of species
with a small letter.

2. When printed, the scienti ic name should be in italics.

4. Question

Who is the father of Taxonomy? Name the book written by him.

Answer

Carolus Linnaeus is considered the father of taxonomy. He wrote a book

called Systema naturae.

5. Question

The genus name of potato is Solanum. Write two species name of organisms
which belong to genus-Solanum?

Answer

Solanum melongena – eggplant

Solanum dulcamara – bittersweet.

Chapter Exercise

1. Question

De ine diversity in the living world.

Answer

Diversity in living world is de ined as the variety of living organisms present

in the world.
2. Question

Give any two objectives of classi ication.

Answer

The objectives of classi ication are:

1. Grouping of related organisms based on similar characteristics.

2. Simplifying the identi ication of organisms.

3. Question

Are cyanobacteria, autotrophs or heterotrophs?

Answer

Cyanobacteria are autotrophic in nature and obtain energy through

photosynthesis.

These are a phylum of bacteria that obtain their energy through

photosynthesis and are the only photosynthetic prokaryotes able to produce
oxygen.

4. Question

name the group of organisms to which Amoeba belongs.

Answer

Amoeba belongs to kingdom Protista.

the This kingdom comprises of Eukaryotic organisms that are mostly

unicellular with some exceptional multicellular algae

5. Question

The cell wall of different organisms differ. Is it true?

Answer

Yes, it is true. The cell wall of different organisms differs in their composition.

Cell walls exist in all kingdoms except for the animals: plants, protists (algae),
fungi, bacteria, and archaea. And in all these, the cell wall is made of different
materials and composition.

Example:
6. Question

A weed is growing on the border of your play ground. How would you
recognize it to be a dicot or monocot?

Answer

The difference between monocot and dicot can be made by opening the seed
of the weed. Presence of one or two cotyledons respectively would
differentiate between them.

7. Question

The protozoans are early animals. Do you agree? Give at least two reasons to
support your answer.

Answer

Yes, protozoans are early animals. This is because:

1. They have a very basic body design and minimal differentiation.

2. They are unicellular organisms, and only one cell performs all necessary
functions.

8. Question

Name the respective organisms.

(i) An arthropod that cannot ly.

(ii) A mollusk that possesses eyes.

Answer

(i) prawn

A prawn is a small shell ish with a long tail and many legs.

An “arthropod” is an invertebrate animal that has an exoskeleton, a

segmented body, and jointed appendages. Examples of arthropods:

1. Insects such as ants and bees

2. Spiders and scorpions

3. Crabs, lobsters, and shrimp

(ii) octopus

9. Question

Sea cucumber belongs to which phylum? Describe it’s structure associated

with locomotion.

Answer

Sea cucumber or holothuria belongs to phylum Echinodermata. For

locomotion, sea cucumbers use tube feet , which are small sucker like
projections present on the three ambulacral canals on the surface close to the
substratum. These are numerous and allow the animal to crawl .

10. Question

How are whales and electric rays different from each other?

Answer

Whale is a mammal, belonging to class Mammalia. The electric ray or

torpedo is a ish belonging to class Pisces . Whale is warm blooded whereas
the electric ray is cold blooded animal.

11. Question

Jelly ish is not a ish. Comment.

Answer

Jelly ish is an animal belonging to phylum coelentrata of kingdom Animalia.

It is not a chordate like true ishes. It is a medusa form of certain species of
cnidarians.

12. Question

An animal phylum has lowest structural organization. Name and describe its
features.

Answer

Lowest structural organisation is seen in phylum Porifera. Its features are:

1. They are marine nonmotile animals.

2. They have minimal differentiation of body design.

3. The outer skeleton is hard.

4. Canal system is present for the exchange of food and oxygen.

5. They have pores all over the body.

13. Question

Which group of organisms have segmented worms? Give it’s two major
characteristics.

Answer

Phylum Annelida has segmented worms. Its characters are:

1. They are bilaterally symmetrical, triploblastic animals with true coelom.

2. They have extensive differentiation in body design.

14. Question

Differentiate brie ly the characteristics of kingdom-Plantae and Animalia.

Answer

15. Question

Describe two important characteristics of each division of kingdom-plantae.

Answer

1. Thallophyta

● Not well differentiated body design

● Primarily aquatic

2.Bryophyta

● Plant body differentiated into stem and leaf like structures.

● No specialised tissue for conducting food and water.

3.Pteridophyta

● Plant body differentiate into root stem and leaf.

● Have specialised tissue for conduction of food and water.

4.Gymnosperms

● They bear naked seeds.

● They are usually woody and perineal.

5.Angiosoerms

● They have enclosed seeds.

● Plant embryo in seed have structures called cotyledons.

16. Question

Compare among Pisces, Amphibia and Reptilia.

Answer

17. Question

Enumerate the characteristic of a class that contains organisms with two

types of symmetry in their life cycle.

Answer

Two types of symmetry, i.e. bilateral and radial both is found in phylum
Ctenophora. The characters are:

1. Incomplete gut, only mouth present.

2. No organ for excretion, respiration or circulation.

3. Diploblastic.

4. Biradially symmetrical

5. Eight rows of ciliated comb-like structures.

18. Question
Biological classi ication is a dynamic and ever-evolving phenomenon. Justify
with two examples.

Answer

Biological classi ication bases have to keep on changing depending on our

understanding of life forms.

The initial very basic methods of classi ication gradually have been replaced
by more advanced and complex ideas. For example:

1. The two kingdom classi ication proposed by Aristotle based only on the
habitat was replaced by three kingdom classi ication suggested by Haeckel.

2. Even the most accepted classi ication suggested by Whittaker which is the
ive kingdom classi ication was modi ied by whose based upon his
understanding of bacteria dividing the Monera into archaebacteria and
eubacteria.

19. Question

Anukool’s father works for an international bank and has been transferred to
Paris. He stayed in a rented house there. People in his of ice have come from
different countries and speak various language viz. Dutch, French, Urdu, and
English. Due to different mother tongues, he is inding it dif icult to
communicate with others and hence, could not work ef iciently.

One day, he told his communication problem to his son. Anukool discussed
his father’s problem with his teacher and then called him up next day to give
his advice.

(i) What advice did Anukool give to his father?

(ii) List two advantages of speaking the same language all over the world.

(iii) What value shown by Anukool by his action?

Answer

(i) Anukool must have advised his father to either learn the different
languages or to use a translator for better communication.

(ii) speaking the same language over the world would provide room for easier
communication and decrease the chances of confusion and misunderstanding.
It will also bring about global harmony.

(iii) Anukool is considerate and caring.He has a sense of responsibility and

Helping Nature.

Challengers

1. Question
Choose the odd one out from the options given below.

A. Labeo

B. Hippocampus

C. Anabas

D. Scoliodon

Answer

Scoliodon is a mammal while the rest three are ishes. Thus it is an odd one.

2. Question

The scienti ic name of lion ish is

A. Synchiropus splendidus

B. Pterois volitans

C. Torpedo

D. Caulophyryne

Answer

lion ish is called Pterios volitans. Synchiropus splendidus is scienti ic name

for mandarin ish, Torpedo is the name of electric ray and Caulophryne is the
name given to fan ins.

3. Question

Which of the following statement is incorrect?

A. The chloroplast is Spirogyra is spirally arranged without pyrenoids.

B. Needle-shaped structure in Pinus is a leaf.

C. Dicot plant has a woody stem and its leaves show reticulate venation.

D. Pneumatic bone is an important characteristic of waves.

Answer

chloroplast in spirogyra are arranged with pyrenoids.

All the other options are true statements.

4. Question

Which among the following is a Pteridophyte?

A.

B.

C.

D.

Answer

Figure (a) is of Pinus, a gymnosperm.

Figure (b) is of Funaria, a bryophyte.

Figure (d) is of Cladophora, a thallophyte.

5. Question

Identify the incorrectly matched pair from the options given below.

A. Largest bird — Ostrich

B. Bat — Bird

C. Egg — laying mammals — Duck – billed platypus

D. Mollusks — Soft-bodied animals

Answer

bat is not a bird. It is a mammal. All the other options are correctly matched
pairs.

6. Question
The ish belonging to the phylum — Arthropoda is

A. Cray ish

B. Devil ish

C. Jelly ish

D. Star ish

Answer

Cray ish belongs to arthropoda. Devil ish is a chordate , jelly ish is a

coelentrate , and star ish is an echinoderm .

7. Question

The type of symmetry found in coelenterates is

A. asymmetry

B. circular symmetry

C. biradial symmetry

D. radial symmetry

Answer

coelentrata are radially symmetrical, as they have vertical symmetry around

a central axis.

8. Question

Pick out the incorrect statement.

A. All chordates have notochord some state of life.

B. Birds have a streamlined body to reduce resistance during light.

C. Whale represents a huge class of ishes (or Pisces)

D. A true coelom is derived from the mesoderm whereas pseudocoelom is not

lined by mesoderm.

Answer

whales are mammals, not ishes. All other statements are correct.

9. Question

The organism given below belongs to phylum.

A. Platyhelminthes

B. Nematoda

C. Annelida

D. Arthropoda

Answer

Ascaris belongs to nematodes. They are not as well differentiated as Annelida

or Arthropoda, but have different sexual forms unlike Platyhelminthes.

10. Question

Sea cucumber is

A. mollusc

B. coelentrate

C. echinoderm

D. protochordate

Answer

Sea cucumber is a coelentrata. It has a very basic structural organisation as

compared to Mollusca, echinoderms and protochordate.

11. Question

In a taxonomic hierarchy, family comes between

A. class and order

B. order and genus

C. genus and species

D. division and class

Answer

family is a taxonomic group between order and genus. The order of

taxonomic hierarchy is as follows:
Species, genus , family, order , class , phylum / division , kingdom .

12. Question

Among the following given options, a pseudocoelomate organism is

A. sea anemone

B. liver luke

C. Nereis

D. Wuchereria

Answer

Nematodes are pseudocoelomate. The others are not nematodes and hence
are not pseudocoelomate.

13. Question

Which of the following is a warm-blooded organism?

A. Ostrich

B. King cobra

C. Crocodile

D. Rohu

Answer

ostrich is a mammal, which is warm blooded. The other three are cold
blooded organisms.

14. Question

Similar characteristic among whale and crocodile is that

A. they both are cold-blooded organisms.

B. they both are warm-blooded organisms

C. their heart is 3-chambered.

D. their heart is 4-chambered.

Answer

Both reptiles and mammals have four chambers in the heart. Reptiles are
cold-blooded organisms, while mammals are warm-blooded organisms.
Three-chambered heart is found in other reptiles, except crocodile.