BN01 Quiz -- The Living World and Classification

Question 1 of 20

The correct taxonomic hierarchy from largest to smallest group is:

ASpecies to Genus to Family to Order to Class to Phylum to KingdomBKingdom to Phylum to Class to Order to Family to Genus to SpeciesCDomain to Kingdom to Genus to Family to Species to Class to PhylumDPhylum to Kingdom to Order to Class to Family to Genus to Species

Taxonomic hierarchy broad to narrow: Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species. Mnemonic: King Phillip Came Over For Good Soup. Domain sits above Kingdom in the three-domain system.

Question 2 of 20

Binomial nomenclature requires that scientific names be written with:

AGenus and species both in uppercase lettersBGenus capitalised and species in lowercase, both italicised or underlined when handwrittenCSpecies first and genus second, separated by a hyphenDCommon name followed by the kingdom name

Binomial nomenclature rules: Genus first letter capitalised; species epithet all lowercase; both italicised in print or underlined in handwriting. Example: Homo sapiens.

Question 3 of 20

Which pair of scientific names indicates organisms belonging to the SAME genus?

AFelis catus and Canis lupusBPanthera leo and Panthera tigrisCHomo sapiens and Pan troglodytesDRana tigrina and Bufo melanostictus

Panthera leo (lion) and Panthera tigris (tiger) share genus Panthera. Different first words mean different genera: Felis vs Canis, Homo vs Pan, Rana vs Bufo are all different.

Question 4 of 20

In the five-kingdom system, which kingdom contains prokaryotes?

AProtistaBFungiCAnimaliaDMonera

Kingdom Monera contains all prokaryotes: no membrane-bound nucleus or organelles. Includes bacteria and Archaebacteria. Blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) are also Monera despite performing photosynthesis.

Question 5 of 20

Which organism is correctly matched with its kingdom?

AMushroom = PlantaeBAmoeba = MoneraCPenicillium = FungiDNostoc = Protista

Penicillium = Fungi (eukaryotic, heterotrophic, chitin walls). Mushroom = Fungi not Plantae; Amoeba = Protista not Monera (eukaryotic); Nostoc = Monera (prokaryote) not Protista.

Question 6 of 20

A virus differs from all living organisms because it:

ACannot be seen under any microscopeBHas no genetic material at allCIs acellular and can only replicate inside a living host cellDIs always spherical in shape

Viruses are acellular with genetic material (DNA or RNA) in a protein coat, but no cytoplasm, ribosomes, or metabolic machinery. They replicate only inside living host cells using the host machinery.

Question 7 of 20

The scientific name Canis lupus familiaris indicates the dog is:

AA separate species from the wolfBA subspecies of the grey wolf (Canis lupus)CIn a completely different genus from the wolfDOnly distantly related to wolves

Canis lupus familiaris is a subspecies of Canis lupus (grey wolf), domesticated about 15,000 to 40,000 years ago. The third name (familiaris) indicates subspecies: trinomial nomenclature.

Question 8 of 20

Archaebacteria differ from Eubacteria in that Archaebacteria:

AAre eukaryotes with membrane-bound nucleiBLive in extreme environments and have unique membrane lipids with ether linkagesCAre multicellular organisms with complex tissuesDCannot perform any form of metabolism

Archaebacteria (Archaea) thrive in extreme environments: thermophiles (hot springs), halophiles (salt lakes), methanogens (produce methane). Unique: membrane lipids have ether linkages vs ester linkages in eubacteria.

Question 9 of 20

Which criterion defines a species in biology?

AMembers look identical to each otherBMembers can interbreed naturally and produce fertile offspringCMembers live in the same geographic locationDMembers have the same diet

Biological Species Concept (Ernst Mayr, 1942): a species can interbreed naturally and produce fertile offspring, but is reproductively isolated from others. A mule (horse x donkey) is infertile: different species.

Question 10 of 20

In the three-domain system, humans belong to:

ADomain BacteriaBDomain ArchaeaCDomain EukaryaDDomain Protista

Three-domain system (Carl Woese, 1990): Bacteria, Archaea, Eukarya. Humans and all eukaryotes belong to Domain Eukarya. Based on ribosomal RNA sequences.

Question 11 of 20

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of Kingdom Fungi?

AEukaryotic cell organisationBHeterotrophic nutrition by absorptionCCell wall made of chitinDAutotrophic nutrition through photosynthesis

Fungi are heterotrophic (cannot photosynthesise). They secrete digestive enzymes externally and absorb digested nutrients. Eukaryotic, chitin cell walls, reproduce by spores. They are ecosystem decomposers.

Question 12 of 20

Cladistics classifies organisms based on:

APhysical appearance and morphology aloneBShared derived characteristics and evolutionary relationshipsCGeographic distribution and habitatDSize and metabolic rate

Cladistics classifies by shared derived characters (synapomorphies) and evolutionary relationships, producing a cladogram. More rigorous than classical taxonomy based solely on morphology.

Question 13 of 20

NCBI stands for:

ANational Centre for Botanical InvestigationBNational Center for Biotechnology Information: database of biological sequences and literatureCNational Committee for Biological IntegrationDNational Catalogue of Biodiversity Index

NCBI (National Center for Biotechnology Information, USA) maintains GenBank (world largest DNA database) and PubMed (biomedical literature).

Question 14 of 20

Whittaker (1969) added which two kingdoms to Haeckel three-kingdom system?

AMonera and ProtistaBMonera and FungiCFungi and ProtistaDAnimalia and Plantae

Haeckel had: Protista, Plantae, Animalia. Whittaker added Monera (prokaryotes) and Fungi (separated from plants due to chitin walls and heterotrophic nutrition).

Question 15 of 20

DNA barcoding in taxonomy uses:

APhysical bar-coded ear tags to track animalsBA short standardised DNA region (CO1 gene) to identify speciesCBar charts of species distributionDBinary encoding of conservation status

DNA barcoding uses a standardised genomic region (CO1 gene for animals; rbcL and matK for plants) to identify species, developed by Paul Hebert (2003). Used to identify trafficked wildlife and detect food fraud.

Question 16 of 20

Convergent evolution produces organisms that are:

AClosely related with homologous organsBDistantly related but with similar adaptations due to similar environmentsCSame genus showing parallel evolutionDExtinct species in fossil records only

Convergent evolution: distantly related organisms independently evolve similar features due to similar selective pressures. Examples: wings of birds and insects; eyes of vertebrates and cephalopods. Produces analogous organs, not homologous.

Question 17 of 20

Under botanical nomenclature, a plant species name must be accompanied by:

AThe country of originBThe author citation: name of botanist who first formally described itCThe chromosome numberDThe ecological habitat

Under the International Code of Nomenclature (ICN), a validly published species name should include the author citation. Example: Mangifera indica L. (L. = Linnaeus).

Question 18 of 20

Which kingdom is sometimes called the dustbin kingdom due to its diversity?

AMoneraBFungiCProtistaDAnimalia

Protista is the dustbin kingdom: contains all eukaryotes not fitting neatly into Fungi, Plantae, or Animalia. Includes protozoa (Amoeba, Paramecium), algae, slime moulds, and Plasmodium.

Question 19 of 20

Order Primates includes:

ADogs and catsBMonkeys and apes including humans (Hominidae)CWhales and dolphinsDBats and birds

Order Primates includes prosimians (lemurs), monkeys (Old and New World), apes (gorillas, chimpanzees), and humans (Family Hominidae). They share forward-facing eyes, grasping hands, and large brains.

Question 20 of 20

The term taxon (plural taxa) in biology refers to:

AA specific ecological habitat typeBAny unit of classification at any level (species, genus, family, etc.)CThe study of animal behaviourDThe measurement of biodiversity in an area

A taxon is any formal taxonomic group at any level: species, genus, family, order, class, phylum, or kingdom. Taxonomy is the science of naming, describing, and classifying organisms.

BN01 — The Living World and Classification