Classification Station Lab
Station 1
• Fish Identification
1a
1b
2a
2b
3a
Body noticeably covered with scales…………………………………..………..go to 2
Scales not covering body or too small to be seen……………………………go to 12
Dorsal fin single…………………………………..……………………………………go to 3
Dorsal fins two or more, joined or separated…………………………………...go to 6
Body more than four times as long as broad (top to bottom); front edge of dorsal fin far back on body; mouth large, hinge in back of eye……………go to 4
3b
Body less than four times as long as broad; front edge of dorsal fin about midway between head and tail; mouth not large; hinge in front of eye…go to 5
4a
4b
5a
5b
6a
6b
Dark lines forming netted design on body; fins not spotted…………………Pickerel
Body covered with spots; fins spotted……………………………………Northern Pike
Mouth turned down; barbells absent; dorsal fin not elongated……..White Sucker
Mouth not turned down; barbells present; dorsal fin elongated………………Carp
Two dorsal fins separated, the anterior spiny & the posterior soft…………...go to 7
Two dorsal fins united, forming an anterior spiny portion & a posterior soft portion………………………………………………………………………………..….go to 8
7a
Top of head concave, forming a hump in front of dorsal fin; dark vertical bars on body………………………………………………………………………….Yellow Perch
7b
Top of head not concave, body sloping to dorsal fin and not forming a hump; dark blotches on body…………………………………………………….Walleyed Pike
8a
8b
9a
Body more than 3 times as long as broad……………………………………….go to 9
Body less than 3 times as long as broad………………………………………..go to 10
Hinge of jaws behind the eye; notch between spiny & soft dorsal fin deep and nearly separating into 2 fins………………………………….....Largemouth Black Bass
9b
Hinge of jaws below the eye; notch between spiny & soft dorsal fin not nearly separating into 2 fins……………………………………………..Smallmouth Black Bass
10a
10b
11a
Mouth large, hinge below or behind the eye………………………………….go to 11
Mouth small, hinge in front of eye ……………………………………………….. Bluegill
Five to seven spines in dorsal fin; dark spots forming broad vertical bars on sides……………………………………………………………………………..White crappie
11b
12a
12b
Ten + spines in dorsal fin; sides flecked with dark spots………Rock bass (Redeye)
Body elongated and snakelike; dorsal, caudal and anal fins continuous……...Eel
Body not elongated and snakelike; dorsal, caudal, and anal fins separate; adipose fin present……………………………………………………………….….go to 13
13a
13b
14a
14b
Barbels growing from lips and top of head; head large and broad……...go to 14
Barbels lacking; head not large and broad……………………………………go to 16
Caudal fin deeply forked; head tapering ……………………………………..go to 15
Caudal fin rounded or slightly indented but not forked; head blunt ………………………………………………………………………...……… Bullhead catfish
15a
Dorsal fin rounded at top; body silvery, speckled with black markings ……………………………………………………………………………...… Channel catfish
15b
Dorsal fin long and pointed at top; body bluish gray without speckles……………………………………………………………………………Blue catfish
16a
16b
17a
17b
Caudal fin deeply forked; back not mottled and with few spots..Atlantic salmon
Caudal fin square or slightly indented; back mottled or spotted………... Go to 17
Back and caudal fin spotted; broad horizontal band along sides...Rainbow trout
Back mottled with dark lines; caudal fin not spotted; fins edged with white……………………………………………………………………………….. Brook trout
Fish A:
Bluegill
Fish B
Northern Pike
Station 2
Kingdom
Phylum
Class
Order
Family
Genus
Species
Animalia
Chordata
Amphibia
Anura
Ranidae
Rana
clamitans
Animalia
Chordata
Mammalia
Carnivora
Felidae
Felis
concolor
Animalia
Chordata
Mammalia
Carnivora
Canidae
Canis
familiaris
Animalia
Chordata
Mammalia
Primate
Hominidae
Homo
sapien
Which taxon includes the most specific characteristics?
Which taxon includes the broadest characteristic?
Which includes only organisms that can successfully interbreed?
If 2 organisms belong to the same family, what other taxonomic groups do the organisms have in common?
Which 2 organisms in the chart are most closely related? Explain.
To which taxa do all 4 organisms belong ?
Which class does not include animals that have hair or fur?
What is the order, family and genus of the human?
Station 3
Fish A
Family Isuridae
Fish B:
Family Rhinocodontidae
Station 4 Fictitious Organisms
• Kingdom
• Phylum
• Class
Plant or Animal
Actual or Pseudo
Type of Habitat
» Land , Air or Water
• Order
Kind of appendages
» Legs, wheels, tentacles or fins
• Family
Body covering
» Smooth, hair or scales
• Genus
• Species
Number of appendages
Head adornment
» None, antennae, spike, two horned
Fictitious organism A:
Six spike or Six spike
Fictitious Organism B:
Four none or Four none
A
E
1. Why would Aristotle place E and J
together?
2. Why would Aristotle place A and H
together?
3. According to Aristotle which two plants
would have been grouped together and
why?
4. Which two animals are most closely
related based on the modern day system?
B
Station 5
F
I
C
D
G
H
J
A. Dromaius novaehollandiae
B. Phascolatarctos cinerus
C. Chironex fleckeri
D. Atrax infensus
E. Pseudonaja texilis
F. Hapalochlaena lunalata
Station 6
G. Lactrodectus hasselti
H. Vombatus ursinus
I. Psuedechis porphyricus
J. Casuarius casuaris
Station 7
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
Living things
Animals
Plants
Legs
No legs
6 legs
8 legs
No wings
Wings
Feelers
No feelers
2 feelers
4 feelers
Stinger
No stinger
Station 8
Animal
Chordata
Mammalia
Primates
Hominidae
Homo
Sapien
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Animal
Chordata
Reptilia
Chelonia
Emydidat
Terrapene
carolina
Animal
Arthropoda
Insecta
Diptera
Culicidae
Theobaldia
anulata
Plant
Tracheophyta
Angiospermae
Fagales
Fagaceae
Quercus
alba
Which organisms are most closely related and why?
Most specific characteristic humans have in common with the turtle?
Most specific characteristic humans have in common with the insect?
Most specific characteristic humans have in common with the tree?
What is the turtle’s correct scientific name?
Explain the advantage of using scientific names or common names.
A
B
Station 9C
Animalia
Animalia
Chordata
Arthropoda
Mammalia
Insecta
Cetacea
Orthoptera
Megapteridae Acrididae
Megaptera
Dissosteria
novaeangliae longipennis
Animalia
Arthropoda
Crustacea
Decapoda
Homaridae
Cancer
gracilia
D
Animalia
Chordata
Mammalia
Rodentia
Sciuridae
Tomaiascurus
hudsonicus
1. Which pairs would Aristotle have placed together?
2. Why?
3. Which pairs would modern day classification have placed together?
4. Why?
5. List in order, from broadest to the most specific, the divisions of
classification.
Station 10
Phylum Mollusca
Phylum ArthropodaPhylum Echinodermata
Phylum Platyhelminthes
Class Cephalopoda
-subphylum crustacea
Lives in salt water
-flat worms
tentacles
-has exoskeleton Five part radial
symmetry
-parasites
lives
in saltsystem
water
-jointed
appendages
Tube
feet/water
vascular
-show cephalization ( head region)
soft bodied
-are aquatic
Station 11
What is a zedonk?
Why is it such a surprise?
Why is it so rare for wild animals to interbreed?
Which hybrid is fertile? Why is this considered to be
a problem?
What is it called when nature stops interbreeding?
How many chromosomes does a mule have?
Why does this make it sterile?
What problems do many hybrids have?