Biology Taxonomy Worksheet

Pre-Lab Questions Use the following classifications to determine which organism is least related out of the three. Explain your rationale. The Eastern Newt is least related out of the three. The Eastern Newt may be in the same domain, kingdom, and phylum, but it is not in the Anura order. Classifications Classification Level American Green Tree Frog European Fire-Bellied Toad Eastern Newt Domain Eukarya Eukarya Eukarya Kingdom Animalia Animalia Animalia Phylum Chordata Chordata Chordata Class Amphibia Amphibia Amphibia Order Anura Anura Caudata Family Hylidae Bombinatoridae Salamandridae Genus Tursipops Bombina Notophthalamus Species Cinera bombina viridescens How has DNA sequencing affected the science of classifying organisms? Scientists can compare the genes of organisms at a molecular level. Before scientists could only examine the physical traits of an organism but now they can see the genes that cause them. Scientists can now also see if two organisms are related by examining their genes. You are on vacation and see an organism that you do not recognize. Discuss what possible steps you can take to classify it. I could compare the physical traits of the organism to those of others I am familiar with to possibly determine if it is related. Even if I am unaware of it’s name I might research some of its distinctive traits such as a large triangular beak or its color if it’s a bird. Exercise 1: Dichotomous Key Practice Result Tables Table 2: Dichotomous Key Results Organism Binomial Name i Selasphorus platycercus ii Mus musculus iii Vaccinium oxycoccus iv Ramphastos vitellinus v Quercus alba vi Euathlas smithi vii Helix aspersa viii Taeniopygia guttata ix Lonicera japonica x Carduelis tristis xi Oryctes nasicomis xii Dryocopus pileatus xiii Musa acuminata Post-Lab Questions What do you notice about the options at each step as they go from number one up? As you go down the list, it becomes more and more specific until it has been narrowed down enough. How does your answer from Question 1 relate to the Linnaean classification system? The classification system starts with a general term and slowly narrows down the possible answers. Exercise 2: Classifications of Organisms Result Tables Table 3: Classifications Organism Domain Kingdom Defined Nucleus Motile Cell Wall Photosynthesis Unicellular E. Coli Bacteria No Yes Yes No Yes Protozoa Eukarya Protista Yes Yes No No Yes Mushroom Eukarya Fungi Yes No Yes No No Sunflower Eukarya Plantae Yes No Yes Yes No Bear Eukarya Animalia Yes Yes No No No Post-Lab Questions Did this series of questions correctly organize each organism? Why or why not? If I answered all of the questions correctly than yes they should be correctly organized. What additional questions would you ask to further categorize the organisms within the kingdoms (Hint: think about other organisms in the kingdom and what makes them different than the examples used here)? Another possible question (mainly for bacteria) is does it have membrane bound organelles. Do you feel that the questions asked were appropriate? What questions would you have asked? One of the first questions I asked was can it move. Obviously a mushroom or sunflower can’t. Second was can it photosynthesis. The only one on the list which could was the sunflower.