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Quick TrainerTaxonomic Ranks and the Classification of Life
Master the hierarchy of biological classification, from domains down to species, and the science of naming living things.
Science34 items3 levelsDifficulty 3/5
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1
Core Ranks
10 items
2
Domains & Naming
10 items
3
Applied Taxonomy
14 items
All 34 cards
What is the most specific (lowest) major taxonomic rank?
species
What is the broadest (highest) taxonomic rank in the three-domain system?
domain
Which rank sits directly between domain and phylum?
kingdom
Which rank groups related species together?
genus
Which rank groups related genera together?
family
Which rank sits between class and family?
order
Which rank sits between phylum and order?
class
Which rank sits between kingdom and class (in animals)?
phylum
List the eight major ranks from broadest to most specific.
domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, species
The equivalent of 'phylum' used for plants and fungi is called what?
division
What is the name of the science of classifying organisms?
taxonomy
Who devised the modern system of binomial nomenclature?
Carl Linnaeus
What is the two-part naming system for species called?
binomial nomenclature
In a scientific name, which part comes first: genus or species?
genus
What is the scientific name of modern humans?
Homo sapiens
In which language are scientific names traditionally written?
Latin
Name the three domains of life.
Bacteria, Archaea, Eukarya
Which domain includes organisms with membrane-bound nuclei?
Eukarya
Which two domains consist of prokaryotes (no nucleus)?
Bacteria and Archaea
What is a group sharing a common ancestor and all its descendants called?
clade
What ranking system based on shared derived characteristics is widely used today?
cladistics
What do we call a branching diagram showing evolutionary relationships?
phylogenetic tree
The complete scientific name (genus + species) of an organism is called its what?
species name
A single physical specimen that defines a species name is called the what?
holotype
What is the kingdom containing all animals?
Animalia
What is the kingdom containing all plants?
Plantae
What is the kingdom containing fungi?
Fungi
Which phylum do humans belong to?
Chordata
Which class do humans belong to?
Mammalia
Which order do humans belong to?
Primates
What is the rank below species used for subspecies in plants and animals?
subspecies
A derived (shared, evolved) trait used to define a clade is called a what?
synapomorphy
How should a genus name's first letter be written?
capitalized
How should scientific names be styled in printed text?
italicized
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