Taxonomy objectives

1. 1. Explain the criteria Aristotle used to classify organisms.
2. Explain why naturalists replaced Aristotle’s classification system.
3. Identify the main criterion Linnaeus used to classify organisms.
4. Describe the important contributions of Carolus Linnaeus to the field of taxonomy.
5. List the common levels of modern classification from general to specific.
6. Explain how related two organisms are by comparing the taxa to which they belong
7. Describe the rules for giving an organism a scientific name.
8. Define the following terms: taxonomy, taxon, kingdom, domain, phylum, division, class,
order, family, genus, species, binomial nomenclature, subspecies
9. Identify the kinds of evidence that modern biologists use in classifying organisms
10. Explain what information a phylogenetic tree displays
11. State the criteria used in cladistic analysis
12. Describe how a cladogram is made and interpreted.
13. Construct a cladogram.
14. Discuss how macromolecules are used to classify organisms.
15. Define the following terms: systematics, phylogenetics, phylogenetic tree, cladistics, shared
derived character, primitive character, cladogram
16. Describe the evidence that prompted the invention of the three-domain system of
classification.
17. List the characteristics that distinguish between the domains Bacteria, Archaea, and
Eukarya.
18. Describe the unique characteristics of each of the six kingdoms.
19. Explain why taxonomic systems continue to change.
20. Explain cladistic taxonomy, and identify one conclusion that is in conflict with classical
taxonomy.