Classification

All organisms are classified into a number of different groups. What are these groups?

What happens as you move down towards 'species'?

Organisms can be classified in two ways. What are these two systems called?

What is the artificial system based on?

Give an example of when an artificial system can be used.

What is the natural system based on?

What has sequencing the bases in DNA enabled scientists to do?

What is a species?

All organisms are named by the binomial system. How does this system work?

What makes it difficult to place organisms into distinct groups?

Give an example of this.

Some organisms present specific problems. Why does bacteria create such problems?

How do mules also create such problems?

Organisms that are grouped together are usually close related and share a recent common ancestor. However how can they have different features?

What is it important to bear in mind when classifying organisms?

Dolphins have similarities to fish because they live in the same habitat (ecologically related). However, they are classified differently, why is this is?

Dolphins and bats have evolved to live in different habitats, but both are mammals. How are they related?