Task/Activity

I. Examine the table below showing the classification of four organisms. Then answer the
questions that follow.

Taxon Green Frog Mountain Lion Domestic Dog Human

Kingdom Animalia Animalia Animalia Animalia
Phylum Chordata Chordata Chordata Chordata
Class Amphibia Mammalia Mammalia Mammalia
Order Anura Carnivora Carnivora Primates
Family Ranidae Felidae Canidae Hominidae
Genus Rana Felis Canis Homo
Species clamitans concolor familiaris sapiens

1. What is the most specific level of classification to which all four animals belong?

2. What is the scientific name (correctly written) of the domestic dog?

3. Which taxon includes more species: an order or a family?

4. Which taxon includes only organisms that can successfully interbreed?

5. If two organisms belong to the same family, what other taxonomic groups do the organisms
have in common?

6. Which two organisms in the chart are most closely related? Explain.

7. To which taxa (plural of taxon) do all four organisms belong?

8. Which class does not include animals that have hair or fur?
9. What is the order, family, and genus of a human?

10. In the space below, draw a diagram showing the levels of classification in the Linnaean
system. Remember the phrase, “King Philip Came Over For Good Spaghetti” This will help you
remember the levels in order from largest (most diverse – Kingdom) to most specific (a single
genetic organism in a population – species).

II. A. Complete the characteristics chart below. Place ‘1’ for features that each animal has, and
‘0’ fir features not exhibited in the animal. All of these animals have backbones, the first column
is completed for you.

Trait 1 Trait 2 Trait 3 Trait 4 Trait 5

Backbone Lungs Amniotic Egg 4 Chambered Heart Fur
Fish 1
Frog 1
Lizard 1
Bird 1
Koala 1

II. B. Convert the chart above into a cladogram. Each group, called a clade, has the traits below
it on the diagram.

fur

4 chambered heart

amniotic egg

lungs

backbone

III. The diagram below represents the relationship between 3-domain system and 6-kingdom
system of classifying organisms. Label each box in the diagram with the correct domain or
kingdom name.