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taxonomy
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| 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 three levels 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 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. |
| chemotrphic (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 bound organelle. |
| sexual reproduction | the reproductive process involving two parents whose genetic material is combined to produce an organism different from themselves. |
| asexual reproduction | a method of reproduction that requires only one parent and produces offsping identical to the parent. |
| phylogeny | the evolutionary development of a species |