Taxonomy Assignment #1: Kingdoms
For each kingdom (achraebacteria, eubacteria, protist, fungi, plant, animal) investigate the following characteristics
of the organisms classified within:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
estimated time of origin
unicellular or multicellular or colonial
prokaryotic or eukaryotic
autotrophic or heterotrophic
sexual or asexual reproduction
f.
g.
h.
i.
sessile or motile
examples from major phyla
five major characteristics to distinguish group
Picture of organisms in kingdom/examples
*You may want to organize your information into chart-form as opposed to an essay.
Taxonomy Assignment #2: Animals
Using Chapter 32 and your Barron’s book, describe each of these key characteristics used to “organize” the animal
kingdom. Also, list the phylum (phyla) and an example of an organism that would have that characteristic. Bring
pictures to help you explain the characteristics.
a. Parazoa vs. Eumetazoa
b. Diploblastic vs. Triploblastic
c. Radiata vs. Bilateria
d. Cephalization
e. Acoelomate, Pseudocoelomate vs. Coelomate
f. Protostome vs. deuterostome
Helpful websites:
www.dls.ym.edu.tw/ol_biology2/ultranet/Invertebrates.html#Lophotrochozoans_vs._Ecdysozoans)
www.emc.maricopa.edu/faculty/farabee/BIOBK/BioBookTOC.html (numbers 44- 53 would be helpful for this whole topic)
Taxonomy Assignment #3: Chordates
A. Fish, Amphibians, Reptiles, Birds, and Mammals all belong to Phylum Chordata in Kingdom Animalia. All
chordates share a set of derived characters, though many species possess some of these traits only for a short
period of time during embryonic development. Describe each of the four structural trademarks listed below
(and the purpose each serves) that all chordates demonstrate at some point in their development:
a.
b.
c.
d.
B.
Notochord
Dorsal, hollow nerve cord
Post-anal tail
Pharyngeal slits
The “Amniotes” are a group of terrestrial tetrapod chordates whose extant (existing) members are the reptiles
(including birds) and mammals. Amniotes are named for the major derived character of the clade, the
amniotic egg. The amniotic egg contains specialized membranes that function in protection, nourishment, and
gas exchange. It was a major evolutionary innovation, allowing embryos to develop on land in a fluid-filled sac,
thus reducing the dependence of tetrapods on water for reproduction. Discuss the specialized purpose of each
of the following four extraembryonic membranes in the amniotic egg:
a.
Allantois
b. Chorion
c. Amnion
d. Yolk sac
*Refer to your textbook (look up in index) and pg. 289 in Barron’s.
It is essential that you know the vocabulary presented in this unit (most of it is… you guessed it, PREREQUISITE KNOWLEDGE!!!)