Study Guide for the LS. 4 General Test
● Classification – is the arrangement of organisms into orderly groups based on their similarities.
● Carolus Linnaeus’s classification system is called taxonomy.
● Dichotomous Key- pairs of descriptive statements that help identify unknown organisms.
 Know the three domains:
Bacteria- includes most types of bacteria (except those that live in extreme conditions)
Archaea- bacteria that live in extreme conditions
Eukarya- eukaryotic organisms
● Know the six kingdoms:
Eubacteria- includes most types of bacteria (except those that live in extreme conditions)
Archaebacteria- bacteria that live in extreme conditions
Protista- single celled or simple multicellular organisms, some may have flagella (tail)
Fungi- obtain nutrients by absorbing them from their surroundings (molds, mushrooms)
* Antibiotics are produced by molds
Plantae - includes all plants, perform photosynthesis
Animalia- move by themselves and have an advanced nervous system
● Know the 8 levels of classification in order:
domain → kingdom→ phylum → class → order → family → genus → species
Domain- largest, most general group
Species- most specific, contain one type of organism that can mate and produce fertile
offspring
● The scientific name is written in Greek or Latin and is made up of a 2-part name consisting of
the genus and species names:
Example: Elephas maximus- Indian Elephant
Felis domesticus- house cat
↑
↑
↑
↑
genus
species
genus
species
● When writing the scientific name the genus name should be capitalized and the species name
lower case and the whole name should be underlined (if hand writing) or italicized (if
typing).
● A specific organism may have many common names but only one scientific name.
● Memorize the chart of the Major Characteristics of the Three Domains and Six Kingdoms
DOMAIN
Bacteria
Archaea
KINGDOM
PHYLUM
CHARACTERISTICS
EXAMPLE(S)
EUBACTERIA
everyday
bacteria
● Most bacteria are eubacteria.
● heterotrophic or autotrophic
● found everywhere
● unicellular and prokaryotic (no nucleus)
Streptococcus
Escherichia coli
ARCHAEBACTERIA
extreme
bacteria
● heterotrophic or autotrophic
● can inhabit scalding hot waters of hot
springs and oxygen-poor environments
● unicellular and prokaryotic (no nucleus)
Halophiles
Thermophiles
Methanogens
PROTISTA
● autotrophic
● unicellular or multicellular
algae protist ● eukaryotic (with nucleus)
(plant-like) ● immobile (can’t move)
● live in water or moist areas
● can be large or small in size
seaweeds
Spirogyra
algae
● decomposers
● unicellular or multicellular
fungus protist ● eukaryotic (with nucleus)
(fungus-like) ● immobile (can’t move)
● live in water or moist areas
● can be large or small in size
water molds
slime molds
protozoa
protist
(animal-like)
Eukarya
FUNGI
PLANTAE
ANIMALIA
● heterotrophic
● unicellular or multicellular
● eukaryotic (with nucleus)
● move through the water by means of
flagella, or cilia, or pseudopodia
● live in water only
● are small in size
Ameba
Paramecium
● most are multicellular (mushrooms, molds, mildew)
● a few are unicellular (yeast)
● decomposers
● used to make antibiotics (penicillin)
● eukaryotic (with nucleus)
● have cell walls made of chitin
● eukaryotic (with nucleus) cell structure with chloroplasts
● carry on photosynthesis to make their own food (autotrophic)
● multicellular and have cell walls made of cellulose
● immobile (can’t move)
● need water, light, oxygen, carbon dioxide, and minerals to live
● heterotrophic
● multicellular with specialized sense organs
● eukaryotic (with nucleus)
● mobile (can move)