Classification of Living Things

Question

Taxonomy is the practice of classifying and naming living things into categories or groups based on similar characteristics. In 1758, biologist Carl Linnaeus created a system for classification that was used for hundreds of years. He gave each species two names (for example, Homo sapiens), showing their genus and species. He then grouped each genus into families, then orders, then classes, then phyla, and finally into two kingdoms: plants and animals. Linnaeus based kingdom classification on whether the organism moved or not. This system changed very little until the 1960's, when scientist R.H. Whittaker proposed a six Kingdom classification system where living things were grouped as plants, animals, fungi, protists, or monera (eubacteria and archeobacteria).

Multiple Choice Question
Scientific naming is a system of organizing living things by giving them two-part names. The first part of the name identifies the genus, and the second part of the name identifies the species.

What is true of all organisms within the same genus?

A.
They can come from different kingdoms.

B.
They are of the same species.

C.
They have little diversity.

D.
They share common characteristics.

Answer 1

The correct answer is:

D. They share common characteristics.

All organisms within the same genus share common characteristics that differentiate them from organisms in other genera.