Dichotomous Keys and Taxonomy

Multiple Choice

The science of describing, classifying, and naming living things is called:

• Geology
• Biology
• Taxonomy
• Chemistry

Multiple Choice

Which scientist is recognized for developing our modern classification system?

• Carolus Linnaeus

• Aristotle

• Charles Darwin

• Robert Hooke

Multiple Choice

Domain is the most specific taxon, while species is the broadest.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

Which taxonomic level is broadest and includes the most organisms per group?

• Domain
• Phylum
• Family
• Species

Multiple Choice

The 8 levels of classification, broadest to most specific are....

• Domain, Genus, Family, Order, Class, Phylum, Kingdom, Species
• Domain, Species, Kingdom, Genus, Phylum, Family, Class, Order
• Domain, Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species
• Order, Kingdom, Species, Domain, Phylum, Family, Class, Genus

Open Ended

State the TWO characteristics that define a biological species.

Multiple Choice

Organisms are classified based on shared physical characteristics ONLY.

• True

• False

Open Ended

Organisms X and Y share a kingdom, while organisms X and Z share a genus. Which TWO organisms are more closely related?

Multiple Choice

What is binomial nomenclature?

• A two-word naming system for classifying organisms.

• Two ways of numbering animals using a dual-digit system.

• A two-group system designed to classify organisms based on shared characterists.

• Two types of molecules involved in the biological classification of organisms.

Multiple Choice

The scientific name for an organism is made from the:

• class and family

• genus and species

• domain and kingdom

• kingdom and phylum

Multiple Choice

Which of the following scientific names is written CORRECTLY?

• Felis Catus

• Felis catus

• felis catus

• Feliscatus

Multiple Choice

In a properly written scientific name, which part is written entirely in lowercase?

• species

• genus

• phylum

• family

Multiple Choice

Which domain is capable of living in extreme environments like hot springs, geysers, or very salty waters?

• Bacteria
• Archaea
• Eukarya

Multiple Choice

bacteria belong to which domain?

• Eukarya

• Prokarya

• Archaea

• Bacteria

Multiple Choice

Which domain includes all animals and plants?

• Archaea
• Eukarya
• Bacteria

Multiple Select

SELECT ALL THAT APPLY: Which of the following Kingdoms belong to the Domain Eukarya?

• Anamalia

• Protista

• Plantae

• Fungi

Multiple Choice

In the 8 levels of classification which level is the broadest category? 

• Kingdom
• Family
• Species
• Domain

Multiple Choice

Which kingdoms have some organisms that can make their own food (autotrophic)?

• Plantae and Animalia
• Fungi and Plantae
• Protista and Plantae

Multiple Choice

Things that are classified together ___________.

• are not related to each other.
• share a similar evolutionary history.
• are larger organisms.
• have a different evolutionary history

Multiple Choice

Who organized living things based on shared characteristics and created a system for assigning scientific names?

• Carolus Linnaeus
• Robert Hooke
• Anton van Leeuwenhoek
• James Watson

Multiple Choice

What are the 8 levels of classification of living things from most general to most specific?

• domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, species
• domain, kingdom, class, phylum, order, family, genius, species
• domain, kingdom, family, class, order, family, genus, species
• domain, king, phillip, class, order, family, genus, species

Multiple Choice

Which is the correct order of the levels of taxonomy, starting from the SMALLEST to the LARGEST

• Species, Genus, Family, Order, Class, Phylum, Kingdom, Domain

• Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species

• Domain, Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species

Multiple Select

SELECT ALL THAT APPLY:

All of the organisms in these two Kingdoms are heterotropic

• Plantae

• Anamalia

• Protista

• Fungi

Multiple Choice

Which of the 4 Kingdoms contain all autotrophic organisms?

• Anamalia

• Fungi

• Plantae

• Protista

Multiple Choice

Which organism is most closely related to the mouse?

• Mushroom

• Tomato

• Fern

• Sponge

Multiple Choice

Which trait to mice and chimps have that pigeons do not?

• Feathers

• Fur

• Claws or nails

• Lungs

Multiple Choice

Which trait do all organisms share (excluding the out group)?

• Fur

• Claws or nails

• Lungs

• Jaws

Multiple Choice

Which group of animals on this tree are most closely related to birds?

• Saurischian dinosaurs

• Ornithischian dinosaurs

• Crocodiles

• None of these are related to birds

Multiple Choice

What number is the common ancestor of C and D

• 1

• 2

• 3

• 4

Multiple Choice

Who is the closest relative to the brown bear?

• Giant panda

• Dog

• Lesser panda

• Sun bear

Multiple Choice

Which organism is the most distantly related to all the others?

• Raccoon

• Dog

• Giant Panda

• Sun Bear

Multiple Choice

If two organisms belong to the same order, then they must also belong to the same...

• Species

• Class

• Family

• Genus

Multiple Choice

Within families, organisms are placed into groups called...

• Genus

• Kingdom

• Class

• Phylum

Multiple Choice

What is the genus name here:

Canis lupus

• Canis

• lupus

Multiple Choice

An organism that only has one cell.

• Multicellular

• Unicellular

• Monocellular

• Domain

Multiple Choice

Humans are made of

• eukaryotic cells

• prokaryotic cells

Multiple Choice

Some bacteria are motile which means

• they are very big

• they can move

• they are multicellular

• they are eukaryotes

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is the least closely related animal:
Gray Wolf: Canis lupus
Aardwolf: Proteles cristatus
Coyote: Canis latrans

• Coyote
• Aardwolf
• Gray Wolf
• Need more information on body characteristics

Multiple Choice

Which scientific name is written correctly?

• Equus caballus

• Equus caballus

• Equus Caballus

• Equus caballus

Multiple Select

Select the taxa that are used in an organism's scientific (binomial) name

• Genus

• Species

• Family

• Class

• Order

Multiple Choice

What language is used to create scientific names?

• English

• Greek

• Latin

• French

Multiple Choice

What would the scientific name of this organism be?

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Mammalia

Order: Carnivora

Family:Canidae

Genus: Canis

species: mesomelas

• Mammalia carnivora

• Canidae mesomelas

• Canis mesomelas

• Animalia chordata

Reorder

Reorder the following from most inclusive (larger) to most specific:

• Kingdom

• Phylum

• Class

• Order

• Genus

1

2

3

4

5

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5

Match

Match the following definitions to the corresponding taxa

• A domain containing cells without a nucleus and potentially pathogenic species

• A domain containing non-nucleated cells but are genetically similar to eukaryotes

• A Kingdom containing the most diverse eukaryotic organisms

• A kingdom containing organisms that photosynthesize and have land adaptations

• A Phylum containing animals that have a nerve cord

Bacteria

Archaea

Protist

Plant

Chordata

• Bacteria

• Archaea

• Protist

• Plant

• Chordata

Multiple Choice

According to this phylogenetic tree, which of these animal phyla are most closely related?

• Arthropoda & Mollusca

• Arthropoda & Chordata

• Chordata & Mollusca

Multiple Choice

If a plant has vascular tissue but no seeds, which of the four plant groups (clades) here would it be classified as?

• Ferns

• Cone-bearing plants

• Mosses

• Flowering plants

Multiple Choice

Who is most closely related to Taxidea taxus?

• Lutra lutra

• Panthera pardus

• Canis latrans

• Canis lupus

Multiple Choice

Take your time and read carefully!

A student discovers an arachnid with a segmented abdomen, long legs, and a tail with no stinger. The student uses the dichotomous key below to identify it. Which arachnid has the student found?

• Whip Scorpion

• Wind Scorpion

• Tick

• Scorpion

Dichotomous Keys

Dichotomous Keys

What is a Dichotomous Key?

A dichotomous key is a series of "yes or no" questions that allow you to correctly identify any living organism, such as plant or animal, or non-living thing, like rocks. The word dichotomous means divided into two parts.

When following a dichotomous key you always answer with "yes" or "no" and follow the instructions.

Following a dichotomous key should be simple. Answer "yes" or "no" and follow along.
For example, comparing a turtle to a tortoise:

​

Identifying an Organism

1. Does the animal have a flipper or foot? If it has a flipper go to 2. If it has a foot go to 3.

2. The animal is a turtle.

3. The animal is a tortoise.
   

​

Steps to Identify an Organism

​There are many other differences between a turtle and tortoise that can be observed by this picture! The examples given are just ONE of many ways of identifying a turtle or tortoise!

Follow along to identify the organism on the dichotomous key by answering "yes" or "no" starting with 1!

​

Dichotomous Key Example

Multiple Choice

Following this dichotomous key, identify the insect labeled "B"

• Ladybug

• Firefly

• Dragonfly

• Bee

Multiple Choice

Following this dichotomous key, identify the insect labeled "D"

• Ladybug

• Firefly

• Dragonfly

• Bee

Let's identify organism #4 together.

​

Following the Key Practice

• ​It has NO backbone, so I'm going to look at b. I'll go to 5.

• It has NO antenna so I'm going to look at b.

• Organism #4 is a spider!

Multiple Choice

Using this dichotomous key identify organism 2.

• Snake

• Tortoise

• Lizard

• Ant

Looking at organism #2, this is how we can properly identify the lizard.
It has a backbone, it has no wings, it has legs, and it has no shell.
Therefore, it is a lizard!

​

Reviewing the Key

You can see in this dichotomous key that there are no living things present. Instead, there's different types of rocks!

​

​Dichotomous for non-living

Using this dichotomous key let's try to identify sample D:

​

​Dichotomous for non-living

1. ​The rock is black - go to step 2.

2. The rock has a glassy texture

3. The rock is obsidian!

Multiple Choice

Using this dichotomous key, identify sample C:

• Conglomerate

• Granite

• Slate

• Gneiss

Multiple Choice

Using this dichotomous key, identify sample E:

• Conglomerate

• Granite

• Slate

• Gneiss

Multiple Choice

What is a dichotomous key used for in science?

• To organize biomes

• Classify organisms

• Identify bacteria only

• None of these

Multiple Choice

When using a dichotomous key to identify organisms, what do we look at?

• physical features
• weather patterns
• environment
• diet

Multiple Choice

What is the purpose of a dichotomous key?

• to find a common ancestor
• to show the evolution of organisms
• to show relationships between organisms
• to identify organisms

Multiple Choice

An illustration and a dichotomous key are given. What is the correct classification for this organism?

• Class Insecta
• Order Amblygygi
• Order Araneae
• Order Scorpiones

Multiple Choice

What is the name of bird W?

• Certhidea

• Geospiza

• Camarhynchus

• Platyspiza

Multiple Choice

A dichotomous key for trees is provided. Hikers found a tree that has large brown cones and single sharp needles. What species of tree have the hikers found?

• Juniper
• Pine
• Spruce
• Fir

Multiple Choice

What is the purpose of a dichotomous key?

• To find a common ancestor.

• To show the evolution of organisms.

• To show relationships between organisms.

• To identify and classify organisms.