Taxonomy and Classification

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What is taxonomy?

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Taxonomy is the science of classifying living organisms into groups based on shared characteristics.

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What are the main levels of classification in taxonomy?

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The main levels of classification are: Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species.

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What does the term 'species' refer to in taxonomy?

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A species is the most specific level of classification, representing a group of organisms that can interbreed and produce fertile offspring.

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What is a genus?

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A genus is a group of closely related species. It is one level above species in the classification hierarchy.

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What is the purpose of a dichotomous key?

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A dichotomous key is a tool that allows users to identify organisms by answering a series of questions that lead to the correct name.

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What is the scientific name of an organism?

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The scientific name of an organism is a two-part name that includes the genus and species, following the binomial nomenclature system.

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What does the first part of a scientific name represent?

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The first part of a scientific name represents the genus to which the organism belongs.

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What does the second part of a scientific name represent?

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The second part of a scientific name represents the species of the organism.

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How are scientific names formatted?

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Scientific names are italicized, with the genus capitalized and the species in lowercase (e.g., *Homo sapiens*).

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What is the correct order of classification levels from broadest to most specific?

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