What do you mean by the term

‘ORGANISM’?
 Characteristics
and
classification of living organisms

Characteristics of
living organisms
 Quiz
Guess which characteristics of living
organisms is being
demonstrated by the following
animations:
Question 1
Question 2
Question 3
Question 4
 Question 5

Which two characteristics are shown by

this animation:
Question 6

So far you should have named

a total of five different
characteristics.

However there are 7

characteristics in total.

Name the two remaining

characteristics.
The Seven Characteristics
• Movement
• Respiration
• Sensitivity
• Growth
• Reproduction
• Excretion
• Nutrition

• Movement
• Respiration
• Sensitivity
• Growth
• Reproduction
• Excretion
• Nutrition
• Movement
an action by an organism or part of an organism
causing a change of position or place

• Respiration
the chemical reactions in cells that break down
nutrient molecules and release energy for
metabolism

C6H12O6 + 6O2 --> 6CO2 + 6H2O + ENERGY

• Sensitivity:
the ability to detect or sense stimuli in the
internal or external environment and to make
appropriate responses

• Growth
a permanent increase in size and dry mass
by an increase in cell number or cell size or
both
• Reproduction
the processes that make more of the same kind
of organism

• Excretion
removal from organisms of the
waste products of metabolism (chemical
reactions in cells including respiration),
toxic materials, and substances in excess of
requirements
• Nutrition
taking in of materials for energy,
growth and development; plants require
light, carbon dioxide, water and ions; animals
need organic compounds and ions and
usually need water
Checking your
knowledge...
Complete the following sentences about the
characteristics of living organisms using the words
from the list below.

excretion growth movement

nutrition respiration
sensitivity

A living organism can be compared with a machine such

as a car. The supply of petrol for the car is similar
to .......................................... and the release of energy
when the petrol is burned
resembles .................................. in a living organism.
This can bring about the ..................................... of the
wheels. ...................................... in living organisms is
similar to the release of exhaust fumes by the car.
Draw a straight line
to match
Three characteristics of
living organisms and
four possible
descriptions are shown
to the right.
 Characteristics
and
classification of living organisms

Classification of
living organisms
The grouping together of animals is
called classification.
Traditional methods of classification
•Early biologists looked carefully at the
morphology and the anatomy of living
organisms
•Grouped the organisms that were closely
related
•Phylogenetic relationship is the study of
genetic system of an unknown living
organism to identify and classify the organism
Morphology is a branch of biology
dealing with
•the study of shape
•the study of the form
•structure of organisms
•their specific structural features
Anatomy is the branch of science concerned with the
bodily structure of humans, animals, and other living
organisms, especially as revealed by dissection and the
separation of parts
 Modern methods of classification
•Most powerful tools used to show
evolutionary relationship - DNA

The sequences of bases in DNA and of amino acids

in proteins are used as a more accurate means of
classification
• The bases A,C,G and T can be arranged in any
order
• Scientist can compare the sequence of bases in
the DNA of organisms from two different species
• The more similar the base sequences, the more
closely related the species are to one another

• They have a more recent common ancestor than

the species that have DNA base sequences that
are less similar

• The similarities in sequences of amino acids in

proteins can be used in the same way
 The classification system
The classification system begins with very big groups
that include a lot of organisms and then moves down
to smaller groups made up of fewer organisms.

The biggest groups are called the kingdoms.

All living things are classified into five different

kingdoms.
Living things

Plants Animals
Fungi Monera Protoctista
(Plantae) (Animalia)
 Hierarchical classification system
Kingdom : Animalia
Phylum : Chordata (Vertebrates)
Class : Mammals
Order: Primates
Family : Hominidae
Genus : Homo
Species: sapiens
Mnemonics to help you remember the
classification

King
penguins
Climb
Over
Frozen
Grassy
Slopes
 Species
is a group of organisms that can reproduce
with each other to produce viable offspring.
Species
Sp. 1 Sp. 2 Sp. 3

Ancestor
 Shared derived characters
• Cladograms are diagrams that display
patterns of shared characteristics

• For example, for birds possession of feathers

is a shared derived character and for
mammals possession of hair is.
• Among groups of vertebrates the backbone is an
example because it evolved in the ancestor of all
vertebrates.

• If you go back far enough in time a shared primitive

character will become a shared derived character.
 Cladogram
Diagram showing how organisms are related
based on shared, derived characteristics such
as feathers, hair, or scales
 Cladogram
Diagram showing how organisms are related
based on shared, derived characteristics such
as feathers, hair, or scales
 Primate
Cladogram
39
 Homologous Structures (BONES in the
FORELIMBS) shows Similarities in mammals.
Homologous features
Homologs
• Features that have descended from a
common ancestral feature

• Use homology to determine phylogenetic

relationships
Similarities in Vertebrate Embryos
Binomial system of naming
Linnaeus (1707-1778)
 The Binomial system of naming
• Uses Latin or Greek names

• The first name is the generic name and this is the Genus to
which the organism belongs.
It always begins with a capital letter: Homo

• The second name is the specific name and this is the species.
It always begins with a small letter: sapiens

• Name is written in italics. E.g. Homo sapiens

• When handwritten, the name is underlined. E.g.

 Binomial system of naming
is a system in which the scientific name of
an organism is made up of two parts
showing the genus and species.
 Characteristics
and
classification of living organisms

Five kingdom classification

 Objectives
 List the main features used to place all
organisms into one of the five kingdoms:
Animal, Plant, Fungus, Prokaryote, Protoctist
 Five kingdom classification:

Kingdoms

Protoctista Fungi Plants Animals

Prokaryotes
Five Kingdom classification: Plants
• Multicellular

• Have chloroplasts, can

photosynthesize

• Cell wall is of cellulose

• May have flagella,

mosses
Plants: Features
Five Kingdom classification:
Animals
• Multicellular

• Do not have
chloroplasts

• Do not have cell walls

• Sometimes have cilia

and flagella
Animals: Features
 Five kingdom classification: Prokaryota

• Cells with no nucleus

• Smaller circular DNA:
Plasmids
• No membrane bound
organelles
• Ribosomes smaller than
in eukaryotes
• Cell wall: Peptidoglycans
• Single cells or a group of
cells
Five kingdom classification:
Protoctista
• Mostly single celled or
in groups of cells
• Some are animal like
cells: Protozoa
• Some are plant like
cells: Algae
• Ex: Paramecium,
Chlamydomonas, sea
weeds
 Protoctists:
Paramecium and Chlamydomonas
Five Kingdom classification: Fungi
• Do not have chlorophyll

• Cannot photosynthesize, but have

saprophytic or parasitic nutrition.

• Simple body form: Unicellular or

multicellular (compact mass of cells)

• Reproduce through spores

• Cell wall made of chitin

• Do not have flagella or cilia

Fungi: Adaptations
 Characteristics
and
classification of living organisms

Viruses
 Objective
 List the features of viruses, limited to protein
coat and genetic material
 Viruses
– Viruses are even smaller than bacteria and can sometimes live INSIDE
bacteria
– Most viruses make us ill
– Diseases like CHICKENPOX and the FLU are caused by viruses.
– Viruses are easily spread from one person to another.
– Viruses cannot reproduce by themselves. They infect other cells and
take over their reproductive machinery in order to reproduce.
– They multiply inside the ‘host’ cell and when they have used all the
cells reproductive machinery, thousands viral cells burst out of the

cell. The host cell is completely destroyed.

Viruses: Structure
 Answer the following
• This is diagram of the
human
immunodeficiency
virus (HIV).
1. Name the parts of the
virus labelled X and Y.
1. X – protein coat
2. State three ways in Y - RNA
which the structure of
bacteria differs from 2. Cell wall, flagellum/flagella, cell
the structure of membrane, cytoplasm, loop of DNA,
viruses. slime capsule, plasmids, ribosomes
 Answer the following
• The diagram shows the
bacterium Helicobacter
pylori, which is a human
pathogen.
1. State the genus of
Helicobacter pylori.

2. H. pylori is placed in the 1. Helicobacter

prokaryote kingdom. State 2. Cell wall, Flagella, no
two structural features
nucleus, no mitochondria
that H. pylori shares with
other prokaryotes.
 Characteristics
and
classification of living organisms

Classifying organisms
 Objectives
 List the main features used to place
organisms
into groups within the animal kingdom, limited
to:
 the main groups of vertebrates:
mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish
 the main groups of arthropods:
myriapods, insects, arachnids,
crustaceans
How can different types of animals be
classified?
The animal kingdom is divided into two phyla:

animals

vertebrates invertebrates
The Phylum Vertebrates and its Classes:

Vertebrates

Fish Amphibians Birds Reptiles Mammals

 The various Phyla and some classes of the group
invertebrates:

Invertebrates

Arthropods Annelids Nematodes Molluscs

Insects Crustaceans Myriapods Arachnids

 Vertebrate Classification
• Animals with backbones are called vertebrates.
• Vertebrates include many different kinds of animals.
They can be found just about everywhere – in
oceans, rivers, forests, mountains, and deserts.
• Animals with backbones can be broken up into
smaller groups by characteristics.
• They are:
1 2

3 4
1 2

3 4
1 2

3 5 4
Fish
 Fish Characteristics
• They are the largest group of vertebrates which is mostly
aquatic.
• Skin is covered with scales.
• Have fins.
• Have gills.
• Eggs laid in water.
• Exothermic.
Amphibians
 Amphibian Characteristics
• Have scale-less, smooth, moist
skin.

• Eggs which are laid in water,

larva (tadpole) lives in water

• Adult can live on land

• Larva breathe through gills.

• Adults breathe air from lungs.

Reptiles
 Reptiles
• Have dry scaly skin.

• Lay rubbery shelled eggs on

land.

• Exothermic.
Birds
 Birds
• Vertebrates covered with
feathers.

• Forelimbs have become

wings.

• Have a beak.

• Lay hard shelled eggs.

• Endothermic

• Have four chambered hearts

Mammals
 Mammals
• Have hair

• Have a placenta

• Young feed on milk from the

mother’s mammary glands.

• Endothermic.

• Have a diaphragm.

• Has a four chambered heart.

• Have different types of teeth.

 Answer the following
This figure shows a common
emerald dove, Chalcophaps
indica.
Two distinguishing features of
birds are beaks and wings.
State one other feature shown
only by birds that is visible in
the figure

Feathers
D
C
Invertebrates
 Invertebrate Classification

What is an Invertebrate?
• Invertebrates are animals that do not have
backbones.
• 97 % of the animal kingdom is made up of
invertebrates.
• Some can be found in ponds, oceans, and other
water environments.
• Insects and some other invertebrates have
exoskeletons.
 Arthropods – What are they?
• Characteristics of all
arthropods:
– Jointed legs
– Segmented bodies
– Have an exoskeleton
 Types of Arthropods
• Myriapods:
Centipedes and
Millipedes
• Crustaceans
Terrestrial and Aquatic
• Arachnids
Spiders
• Insects
They make up 95% of
all organisms on Earth
¼ of all organisms are
beetles (over 500,000
different species!!!)
 Myriapods:
Types - Centipedes and Millipedes

• Many pairs of jointed legs

• One pair of antennae
 Crustaceans

Types – Pill bugs, shrimp, barnacles,

crabs, and lobsters

• All but the pill bug are aquatic

animals
 Crustaceans
• Especially tough skeleton

• More than four pairs of

jointed legs

• Two pairs of antennae

Arachnids
Types – Tarantulla, scorpions, mites,
ticks, and daddy long legs (cellar
spider)

• Have eight jointed legs

• Do not have wings
• Don not have antennae
 Insects
Types – Beetles, bees,
butterflies, moths, ants, etc

• Six jointed legs

• Body divided into head, thorax
and abdomen
• These parts have several
segments
• Most have two pairs of wings
attached to their thorax
• Legs are attached to thorax
• One pair of antennae
 The Plant kingdom and its Groups:

Plants Kingdom
Non flowering Flowering
plants plants

Conifers Mosses Ferns

Conifers
• Grow into large trees
• Often have tough
narrow leaves called
needles
• Don’t have proper
flowers
• Reproduce using seeds-
cones
 Mosses
• Small plants
• Found in damp, shady
places
• Do not produce flowers
• Produce spores for
reproduction
• Thin leaves that dry out
easily
 Ferns
• Big plants
• Found in shady places
• Have leaves called
fronds
• Reproduce suing spores,
found on the back of
leaves
Fern structure: Back
Fern structure: Front
The Phylum Flowering plants and its Classes:

Flowering plants

Monocotyledons Dicotyledons
 Monocot vs. Dicot
• Flowering plants are divided into monocots
and dicots
• As the zygote grows into the embryo, the first
leaves of the young plant develop and are
called cotyledons (seed leaves)
• Monocots have one cotyledon (corn, lily, etc).
• Dicots have two cotyledons (bean, oak, etc).
 Monocot vs. Dicot
• Number of cotyledons: one vs. two
 Monocot vs. Dicot

• Leaf venation pattern:

• Monocot is parallel
• Dicot is net pattern
Leaf Differences - Vein Arrangement
Monocot vs. Dicot root

• Monocot: Fibrous root

• Dicot: Tap root

 Monocot vs. Dicot
• Flower parts:

• Monocot: in groups of three

• Dicot: in groups of four or five

Monocots

Dicots
 Monocot vs. Dicot

• Vascular bundle position:

• Monocot: scattered throughout

the stem
• Dicot: arranged in a circle
 Monocot vs. Dicot

• Stem types:

– Monocot: Herbaceous

– Dicot: herbaceous or woody

 Comparing Monocots vs. Dicots
FEATURE MONOCOTS DICOTS
Cotyledons 1 2
Leaf venation parallel broad
Root system Fibrous Tap
Number of In 3’s In 4’s or 5’s
floral parts
Vascular Scattered Arranged in a
bundle position circle
Woody or Herbaceous Either
herbaceous
 Examples
Monocots Dicots
• Sedges Nut bearing plants
• Grasses Roses
• Grains Beans
• Sweet potato Cactus
• Corn Apple and Oak trees
• Lilies Pumpkin
• Orchids Tobacco
• Onions Grape vines
• Palm trees Poison ivy
 Characteristics
and
classification of living organisms

Keys
 Keys: Dichotomous keys
• Used to identify organisms
• Characteristics given in pairs
• Read both characteristics and either go to
another set of characteristics OR identify the
organism
Keys: Identify this animal using a
Dichotomous keys

legs present............................................ go to 2
legs absent ............................................. A

five pairs of legs...................................... B

four pairs of legs ..................................... go to 3

two body sections................................... C

three body sections ................................
 Keys: Identify this animal using a
Dichotomous keys
1a Tentacles present – Go to 2
1b Tentacles absent – Go to 3

2a Eight Tentacles – Octopus

2b More than 8 tentacles – 3

3a Tentacles hang down – go to 4

3b Tentacles upright–Sea Anemone

4a Balloon-shaped body–Jellyfish
4b Body NOT balloon-shaped - 5
Keys: Dichotomous keys