Dichotomous Key Chart

A student discovers an arachnid without a segmented abdomen, and legs longer than its body. The student uses the dichotomous key below to identify it. Which arachnid has the student found?

• Whip Scorpion

• Wind Scorpion

• Daddy long legs

• Scorpion

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.

1. a) Abdomen segmented.............go to 2

b) Abdomen not segmented ......go to 4

2. a) Abdomen with tail....................go to 3

b) Abdomen without tail...............go to 5

3. a) Tail with stinger..........................Scorpion

b) Tail without stinger.....................Whip scorpion

4. a) Legs longer than body.............Daddy Long Legs

b) Legs not longer than body……….Wind scorpion

5. a) Covered with spines .......................Mite

b) Few spines.....................................Tick

• Whip Scorpion

• Daddy Long Legs

• Mite

• Tick

Which of the following characteristics will most likely be helpful in identifying a butterfly using a dichotomous key?

• It migrates north in the summer

• It has long tail

• It likes only certain plants

• Its wings beat very fast in hot weather

Which of the paired statements could be used to tell the difference between the two insects using a dichotomous key?

• Has 6 legs

  Has 8 legs

• Large hind legs

  Small hind legs

• 2 pairs of spots on wing cover

  3 pairs of spots on wing cover

• Antennae absent

  Antennae present

Which shark is the picture of?

• Cow Shark

• Great White Shark

• Hammerhead Shark

• Saw Shark

To what order does a two pairs of wings, rigid and leathery and mouth for sucking belong to?

• Diptera

• Lepidoptera

• Heteroptera

• Coleoptera

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-2

Using this dichotomous key, identity the name of the circled fish.

• band-tail puffer

• spotted goat fish

• peacock flounder

• trumpet fish

Identify the fish

• Sebastes serriceps

• Sebastes nebulosus

• Naucrates ductor

• Seriola lalandi

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-2

Which of the following is the primary purpose of a dichotomous key in biological studies?

• To classify organisms based on their evolutionary history

• To identify organisms by their physical characteristics

• To determine the genetic makeup of organisms

• To analyze the ecological role of organisms

A student is using a dichotomous key to identify a plant. The key starts with: 1. a) Leaves are needle-like .......... go to 2 b) Leaves are broad .......... go to 3. If the plant has broad leaves, what should the student do next?

• Identify the plant as a conifer

• Proceed to step 2

• Proceed to step 3

• Identify the plant as a fern