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Classification
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Archaea | single-celled microorganisms that live in extreme environments, such as hot springs, acidic soils, and deep-sea hydrothermal vents, & get energy from sources like carbon dioxide, acetate, ammonia, sulfur, or sunlight |
| Bacteria | unicellular, prokaryotic, microscopic organisms with a cell wall made of peptidoglycan, reproducing asexually through binary fission, and often possessing flagella for movement. |
| binomial nomenclature | classification system in which each species is assigned a two-part scientific name |
| clade | evolutionary branch of a cladogram that includes a single ancestor and all its descendants |
| Cladistics | a method of classifying organisms based on their evolutionary relationships, grouping them into "clades" which consist of a common ancestor and all its descendants, and utilizing shared derived characteristics to infer these relationships |
| cladogram | diagram depicting patterns of shared characteristics among species |
| Common Names | terms that differ in different regions that can cause confusion when trying to identify organism |
| derived character | trait that appears in recent parts of a lineage, but not in its older members |
| Dichotomous Key | a method for determining the identity of an organism by going through a series of choices that leads the user to the identity of the organism; dichotomous means “divided into two parts” |
| Domain | the broadest taxonomic rank of organisms; above Kingdoms; based on molecular data: the three domains are Archaea, Bacteria, Eukarya |
| genus | group of closely related species; the first part of the scientific name in binomial nomenclature |
| phylogeny | study of evolutionary relationships among organisms |
| Protista (See Protist) | kingdom or large grouping of any single-celled or eukaryotic organism that is not an animal, plant, or fungus such as simple algae and fungi, slime molds |
| Scientific Name | the two word (Genus and Species) name assigned to one organism; usually in Latin; the Genus is capitalized and the species is lowercase; it is usually written in italics or underlined |
| Shared Characteristics | characteristics shared between a clade and its most recent common ancestor |
| species | a group of similar organisms that can breed and produce fertile offspring |
| taxon (pl. taxa) | group or level of organization into which organisms are classified |
| taxonomy | system of naming and classifying organisms based on shared characteristics and universal rules |
| virus | particle made of proteins, nucleic acids, and sometimes lipids that can replicate only by infecting living cells |
| Aristotle | Greek philosopher that developed a classification system based on where organisms live |
| Linnaeus | Swedish scientist who developed the system of classification still used today using the 7 taxa and binomial nomenclature |
| Kingdom Archaebacteria | ancient forms of bacteria that live in harsh (extreme) conditions |
| Kingdom Eubacteria | slightly more advanced bacteria found in three common shapes – cocci, spirilla, and bacilli; may be harmful or beneficial |
| Kingdom Protista | mostly unicellular organisms, organisms may be autotrophs or heterotrophs; the “junk drawer”. Ex: algae, euglenas, ameobas, parameciums. |
| Kingdom Fungi | mostly heterotrophic, multicellular organisms with cell walls made of chitin ex: yeast, mushrooms |
| Kingdom Plantae | multicellular, autotrophic plants with walls made of cellulose |
| Kingdom Animalia | multicellular, heterotrophic organisms with no cell wall |