Biology 20: RSM Scavenger Hunt Part 2: Taxonomy
Simply put, taxonomy is the science of organizing living creatures based on their common characteristics. Since all living things are genetically related, taxonomy helps us describe how closely related organisms are. Organisms are arranged in a classification system or hierarchy. Each species belongs to several groups and subgroups that get more and more specific until finally the group only contains a single species. The largest category is ‘Kingdom’. Within each Kingdom there are a number of
‘Phyla’ (or Divisions in botanical terms). Within each Phylum you will then find Classes, Orders, Families,
Genera and Species. The Genus and Species name is the scientific name of the organism.
For example, take the coyote. It is in Kingdom Animalia as it is an animal. Within Kingdom Animalia it is in Phylum Chordata because it has a backbone. Within Phylum Chordata it is in Class Mammalia because it is a mammal. Within Class Mammalia, it is in Order Carnivora where many other similar carnivores are grouped. Within Order Carnivora it is in Family Canidae where all dog-like organisms are grouped.
Within Family Canidae is in the Genus Canus where a more specific group of dog-like creatures are grouped (for example, Family Canidae includes foxes whereas Genus Canus does not … foxes are in the
Genus Vulpes). Finally the species name for the coyote is ‘latrans’. The full scientific name therefore is
Canus latrans. Notice that there are two words (the Genus and the Species), they are italicized, and the first is capitalized while the second is not. This is the accepted version of the scientific name of any living thing.
The purpose of this scavenger hunt is for students to begin to get acquainted with the taxonomical categories. To remember the classification of every organism is not within the scope of this class.
However, you should at least have an idea of how related the organisms are in each category.
**Every answer in this scavenger hunt must only be used once. In every case both the scientific name and the common name must be given.
A: Find one organism from each of the following classes of Phylum Chrodata:
Scientific name Common Name
1.
Class Osteichthyes _____________________________________________________
2.
Class Amphibia
3.
Class Reptilia
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
4.
Class Aves
5.
Class Mammalia
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________

B: Find one organism from each of the following Divisions of Kingdom Plantae
Scientific name Common Name
1.
Division Bryophyta ___________________________________________________
2.
Division Lycophyta ___________________________________________________
3.
Division Sphenophyta ___________________________________________________
4.
Division Pterophyta ___________________________________________________
5.
Division Coniferophyta___________________________________________________
6.
Division Anthophyta ___________________________________________________
C: Find 5 organisms from Kingdom Fungi
Scientific name Common Name
1.
______________________________________________________________________
2. _______________________________________________________________________
3. ______________________________________________________________________
4. ______________________________________________________________________
5. ______________________________________________________________________
D: Find 10 pairs of species that belong to the same Genus (at least four pairs must be plants):
Scientific name Common Name
1.
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
2.
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
3.
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________

4.
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
5.
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
6.
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
7.
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
8.
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
9.
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
10.
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
E: Find 6 groups of 3 species that belong to the same Genus (at least two must be groups of
plants):
1.
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
2.
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
3.
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________

4.
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
5.
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
6.
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
F: Find 4 groups of 4 species from the same Genus (1 group must be plants):
Scientific Name
1.
2.
3.
4.
Scientific Name
1.
2.
3.
4.
Scientific Name
1.
2.
3.
4.
Scientific Name
1.
2.
3.
4.
Common Name
Common Name
Common Name
Common Name