Phylogeny Homework KEY
Honors Biology
Read all of Chapter 18. It is very short.
1. Define:
- Phylogeny - the evolutionary relationships between life forms.
- Taxonomy - the formal naming and classification of life forms, usually based on
physical characteristics.
2. What are the eight levels of classification in the modern system?
Domain, Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species
3. What traits are looked for when classifying an organism? Are some more reliable than
others?
In the past, physical appearance, area where they lived, mating patterns, and behaviors
were used to classify organisms. These are very qualitative, subjective characters that
led to much disagreement.
Now, comparison of DNA and protein sequences allows for a more objective,
quantitative way to draw evolutionary trees.
4. Below is the taxonomy of the common house dog. Write the binomial in correct form.
Domain Eukarya, Kingdom Animalia, Phylum Chordata, Class Mammalia, Order
Carnivora, Family Canidae, Genus Canis, Species Lupus Familiaris
Canis lupus familiaris or Canis lupus familiaris
5. What are the three domains of life? Briefly describe each.
differences.
o
o
o
Pay attention to their
Domain bacteria- single-celled organisms without nuclei
Domain archaea- single-celled organisms without nuclei, extremophiles,
biochemically similar to eukaryotes
Domain Eukarya- life forms with nuclei
6. What are the four kingdoms of the Eukarya? Briefly describe each. Pay attention to
their differences.
o
o
o
o
Protista- usually single celled, hetero- and autotrophs, may have cell walls
Fungi- usually multicellular, absorptive heterotrophs, chitin cell walls
Plantæ- multicellular, photoautotrophs, cellulose cell walls
Animalia- multicellular, heterotrophs, no cell wall
7. Using whatever resources are required, write the complete classifications of the
following organisms:
Elm Tree
House Cat
Domain Eukarya
Kingdom Plantæ
Phylum Spermotophyta
Class Angiospermae
Order Urticales
Family Ulmaceae
Genus Ulmas
Species americana
Domain Eukarya
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Class Mammalia
Order Carnivora
Family Felidae
Genus Felis
Species catus
Homo erectus
Bottle-nose Dolphin
Domain Eukarya
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Class Mammalia
Order Primates
Family Hominidae
Genus Homo
Species erectus
Domain Eukarya
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Class Mammalia
Order Cetacea
Family Delphinidae
Genus Tursiops
Species truncatus
Barn Owl
Domain Eukarya
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Class Aves
Order Strigiformes
Family Tytonidae
Genus Tyto
Species alba