Study Guide
Classification and The Six Kingdoms
To prepare for the test on this topic: review your homework, study your class notes and
worksheets, and know the information on this study sheet.
1. Biologists use classification to organize living things into groups so that they
are easy to study.
2. Carolus Linnaeus devised a system of naming organisms called binomial
nomenclature, which gives every living thing a two word scientific name.
The scientific name is written in the Latin language. This was the language
scientists used in the past and since the language is no longer used the
names of the organisms will never change.
3. The seven levels of classification of the Linnaean System of Classification
are:
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Kingdom
Phylum (Phyla is the plural form)
Class
Order
Family
Genus (Genera is the plural form)
Species
(Kings Play Cards On Fat Green Stools)
4. The modern classification system includes Domain as the broadest
classification group.
Domain, Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species
(Do Kings Play Cards On Fat Green Stools?)
5. Each kingdom is made up of phyla; each phyla is made up of classes; each
class is made up of orders; each order is made up of families; each family is
made up of genera; each genus is made up of one or more species;
6. The scientific name of an organism is made up of its genus and species
name. The genus name is always capitalized. The species name is not
capitalized. Ursus maritimus is the scientific name of the polar bear.
7. When Linnaeus developed his classification system, Charles Darwin had not
yet formulated his theory of evolution. Today, the Theory of Evolution has
changed the way biologists think about classification.
8. Today, organisms with similar evolutionary histories are classified more
closely together. The evolutionary history of a species is based primarily on
the chemical makeup of organisms ‘cells.
9. The three domains of living things include Eubacteria, Archaea, and Eukarya
(Eukaryota).
10. The domain Eubacteria includes the Kingdom Eubacteria (Bacteria). The
domain Archaea includes the Kingdom Archaebacteria. The domain Eukarya
includes the Kingdoms of Protista, Fungi, Plantae, and Animalia.
11. The six kingdoms of living organisms includes:
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Archaebacteria
Eubacteria
Protists (Protista)
Fungi
Plants (Plantae)
Animals (Animalia)
(Aligators Eat Pizza, Fries, Pepsi, & Antelopes)
12. Some of the characteristics used to classify organisms into kingdoms are:
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Cell structure – Eukaryotic, with a nucleus vs. Prokaryotic, without a
nucleus
Number of cells: Unicellular, single celled vs. Multicellular, more than one
celled
How they obtain food: Autotrophic, makes its own food vs. Heterotrophic,
does not make its own food
13. Autotrophs are organisms that can make their own food through the process
of photosynthesis. Plants, some bacteria, and some protists are autotrophs
14. Heterotrophs cannot make their own food. They have to get their food.
Animals and fungi are heterotrophs.
15. Some organisms have their genetic material enclosed in a nucleus. These
organisms are called eukaryotes or eukaryotic.
16. Some organisms do not have nuclei. Their genetic material floats freely in
their cytoplasm. These organisms are called prokaryotes or prokaryotic.
17. Unicellular organisms consist of one independent cell, which can carry on all
life’s activities. A multicellular organism is made up of more than one cell.
18. Biodiversity is the amazing variety of living things on Earth. Many organisms
are in danger of becoming extinct. (no longer living).