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How many different species are there?
The exact number of species on Earth is difficult to determine, but estimates suggest that there may be between 5 million to over 30 million species, with approximately 1.5 million species having been formally described. -
How many different genus groups are there? List them.
Similar to species, the number of genera (plural of genus) is also not definitively known. However, it is estimated that there are around 600,000 to 700,000 recognized genera. Listing them all would be extensive, but some major and well-known genera include:- Homo (humans)
- Panthera (big cats like lions, tigers)
- Felis (small cats)
- Quercus (oak trees)
- Rosa (roses)
- Salmo (salmon)
- Escherichia (E. coli)
- Aedes (mosquitoes)
3a. Do you think all of these creatures would belong in the same Kingdom?
No, all of these creatures would not belong in the same Kingdom.
3b. Why or why not?
Organisms are classified into different kingdoms based on their fundamental biological characteristics. The most commonly accepted classification system includes five kingdoms: Animalia (animals), Plantae (plants), Fungi (fungi), Protista (single-celled organisms), and Monera (bacteria). Since species and genera can belong to various habitats and biological classifications (e.g., mammals vs. plants vs. fungi), they would typically be categorized into their respective kingdoms rather than being lumped together in one. For example, animals and plants exhibit very different cellular structures, modes of nutrition, and reproductive strategies, which justify their classification into distinct kingdoms.