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Taxanomy
Taxonomy Picture Vocabulary
Term | Definition |
---|---|
binomial nomenclature | The system of naming organisms scientifically, developed by Carolus Linnaeus; consists of the genus and species names. |
kingdom | The highest level of taxonomic classification beneath that of the three domains. |
phylum | The taxonomic level below kingdom and above class. |
class | The taxonomic level below phylum and above order. |
order | The taxonomic level below class and above family. |
family | The taxonomic level below order and above genus. |
genus | The taxonomic level below the family and above the species; the first part of the binomial nomenclature. |
species | A group of organisms that can interbreed to generate fertile offspring. |
cladogram | A branching diagram representing a hypothesis about the evolutionary descent of groups of organisms from a common ancestor. |
dichotomous key | A tool used to classify an organism through a series of questions with only two possible answers. |
ancestry (ancestries) | The lineage of successive parents and offspring that leads to an organism or species. |
cladistics | A classification system based on shared characteristics between groups of organisms and their common ancestor. |
unicellular | composed of a single cell. |
multicellular | composed of more than one cell |
heterotrophic (heterotroph) | An organism that must consume other organisms for energy. |
autotrophic (autotroph) | An organism that obtains its energy from an abiotic source such as sunlight or inorganic chemicals. |
chemotropic (chemotroph) | An organism that can produce its own nourishment through the process of oxidizing inorganic compounds. |
eukaryotic cell | A cell with a nucleus and membrane-bound organelles. |
prokaryotic cell | A cell lacking a nucleus or any other membrane-enclosed organelle. |
sexual reproduction | The reproductive process involving two parents whose genetic material is combined to produce a new organism different from themselves. |
asexual reproduction | A method of reproduction that requires only one parent and produces offspring identical to the parent. |
phylogeny | The evolutionary development of a species. |