Question

in your textbook, read about how living things are classified. examine the table showing the classification of five organisms. then answer the questions.

1. which taxon includes the most specific characteristics?
2. which taxon includes the broadest characteristics?
3. which taxon includes more species, an order or a family?
4. which taxon includes only organisms that can successfully interbreed?
5. if two organisms belong to the same family, what other taxonomic groups do the organisms have in common.
6. which two organisms in the chart are most closely related? explain.
7. to which taxa do all four organisms belong?
8. which class does not include animals that have hair or fur?
9. what is the order, family, and genus of a human?
10. using the information in the chart, what can you conclude about the classification taxon of an organism with the scientific name rana temporaria?

Explanation:

Step1: Recall taxonomic hierarchy

Taxonomic levels from broad - est to most specific are kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, species. Species is the most specific.

Step2: Identify broadest taxon

Kingdom is the broadest taxon in the hierarchy.

Step3: Compare order and family

Order is a higher taxonomic level than family, so an order includes more species.

Step4: Know the definition of species

Species is the taxon where organisms can successfully interbreed.

Step5: Analyze same - family organisms

If two organisms are in the same family, they are also in the same order, class, phylum, and kingdom.

Step6: Determine closely - related organisms

The mountain lion and domestic dog are both in the class Mammalia, order Carnivora. They are more closely related than others as they share more taxonomic levels.

Step7: Find common taxon for all

All four organisms are in the kingdom Animalia and phylum Chordata.

Step8: Identify hair - less class

The class Amphibia (green frog) does not have animals with hair or fur.

Step9: Find human taxonomic levels

The order of human is Primates, family is Hominidae, and genus is Homo.

Step10: Analyze Rana temporaria

Based on the chart and similar naming (like Rana clamitans), Rana temporaria is likely in the kingdom Animalia, phylum Chordata, class Amphibia, order Anura, family Ranidae, genus Rana.

Answer:

1. Species
2. Kingdom
3. Order
4. Species
5. Order, class, phylum, kingdom
6. Mountain lion and domestic dog; they share class Mammalia and order Carnivora.
7. Kingdom Animalia, phylum Chordata
8. Amphibia
9. Order: Primates, Family: Hominidae, Genus: Homo
10. Likely in kingdom Animalia, phylum Chordata, class Amphibia, order Anura, family Ranidae, genus Rana