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Classifications of Living Things
The classification of living things refers to the arrangement or placement of living
things into groups with certain common features. This helps us to distinguish
between groups and is essential for easy identification.
Definition of Classification
Classification is the process of grouping living things based on their
common characteristics, making it easier to identify and understand them.
Objectives of Classification
The main objectives of classification are:
To define classifications of living things
To explain the binomial system of nomenclature
To explain the unique nature of a virus
To mention some characteristics of several kingdoms, including Kingdom
Monera and Kingdom Protista
History of Classification
The classification of living things was first proposed by Carlos Linnaeus, a Swiss
scientist, who is considered the father of taxonomy. He developed a system of
classification that is still used today, which includes seven major groups: Kingdom,
Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, and Species.
The Seven Major Groups
The seven major groups can be remembered using the acronym KP COFGS, where:
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Group Description
K Kingdom: a large group that houses a lot of organisms
P Phylum: a group that contains a large number of organisms
C Class: a group that is further broken down into orders
O Order: a group that is further broken down into families
F Family: a group that is further broken down into genera
G Genus: a group that is further broken down into species
S Species: the smallest unit of classification, where members can interbreed
Characteristics of Species
Members of the same species can interbreed
Members of different species cannot interbreed, as they will not produce a
fertile or healthy offspring
Example of Classification
The classification of man is as follows:
Group Classification
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Class Mammalia
Order Primate
Family Hominidae
Genus Homo
Species Homo sapiens
The classification of a maze plant is as follows:
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Group Classification
Kingdom Plantae
Division Magnoliophyta
Class Liliopsida
Order Poales
Family Poaceae
Genus Zea
Species Zea mays
The process of naming living organisms involves classifying them
into major groups and giving them names for easy identification. This
is done by assigning a generic name and a specific name to each
organism.
The generic name is derived from the genus name, while the specific
name is derived from the species name.
The rules for writing these names are as follows:
The generic name should begin with a capital letter.
The specific name should begin with a small letter.
Examples of Living Organisms
Here are some examples of living organisms with their generic and specific names:
Organism Generic Name Specific Name
Human Homo sapiens
Lion Panthera leo
Rat Rattus rattus
Dog Canis domestica
House Fly Musca domestica
Rice Oryza sativa
Orange Citrus sinensis
Papaya Carica papaya
Kingdoms of Living Organisms
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Initially, living organisms were classified into two kingdoms: Plant Kingdom and
Animal Kingdom. However, this classification was later expanded to include five
major kingdoms:
1. Kingdom Monera
2. Kingdom Protista
3. Kingdom Fungi
4. Kingdom Plantae
5. Kingdom Animalia
Characteristics of Viruses
Viruses are unique organisms that do not fit into any of the five kingdoms. They can
exist as both living and non-living entities, depending on their environment.
Characteristics of Viruses as Living Organisms
When inside a living cell, viruses exhibit the following characteristics:
They can reproduce and give rise to new individuals.
They can transmit traits from one generation to another through genetics.
Characteristics of Viruses as Non-Living Organisms
When outside a living cell, viruses exhibit the following characteristics:
They assume a crystalline form and become non-living.
They do not respire, excrete, or respond to stimuli.
Kingdom Monera
Kingdom Monera is one of the five major kingdoms and is characterized by the
following features:
Unicellular and microscopic organisms.
Procaryotic, meaning they do not have a definite nucleus.
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These characteristics distinguish Kingdom Monera from other kingdoms and highlight
the diversity of life on Earth.## Kingdom Monera The nucleus of a cell contains
chromosomes, DNA, and RNA. However, Kingdom Monera is the only procaryote
kingdom among the five kingdoms, meaning its cells do not have a definite nucleus.
A procaryote is an organism that lacks a true nucleus and other
membrane-bound organelles.
The characteristics of Kingdom Monera are:
They are the simplest form of living things
They reproduce asexually by binary fission
They are the simplest form of living things in the evolutionary trend from
simple to complex
The phyla of Kingdom Monera include:
Phylum Example
Cyanophyta Blue-green algae (e.g., Nostoc)
Schizophyta Bacteria
Kingdom Protista
Kingdom Protista can also be referred to as Kingdom Protoctista. The
characteristics of Kingdom Protista are:
They are unicellular and microscopic organisms
They are eukaryotic, meaning they have a true nucleus
They can locomote using various organelles such as cilia, flagellum, and
pseudopodia
They reproduce both sexually (by fertilization and conjugation) and asexually
(by binary fission)
The phyla of Kingdom Protista include:
Phylum Example
Protozoa Animal-like protists (e.g., Trypanosome, Paramecium, Plasmodium)
Uglenophyta Plant-like protists (e.g., Uglena)
Chlorophyta Plant-like protists (e.g., Chlamydomonas, Chlorella)
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Characteristics of Uglena
Uglena is a unique organism that exhibits both plant-like and animal-like
characteristics. The animal-like characteristics of Uglena are:
Possession of flagellum for locomotion
Presence of golgi bodies for food passage and storage
Presence of contractile vacuoles for osmoregulation
Presence of eyespot for quick response to light
The plant-like characteristics of Uglena are:
Possession of chloroplasts for photosynthesis
Presence of pyrenoids for starch storage
Exam Guide
Some example questions from the exam guide include:
Which of the following organisms is not a protozoa? (Answer: Ascaris, a
roundworm)
Which of the following groups embraces the rest? (Answer: Kingdom)
In which level of classification are organisms most similar? (Answer: Species)
What is the second name in the binomial system of naming organisms called?
(Answer: Specific name)## Classification of Organisms The classification of
organisms can be understood through the concept of generic name and specific
name.
Understanding Generic and Specific Names
The generic name refers to the first part of an organism's name, while the specific
name refers to the second part.
Classification Example
Consider the following question: Which of the following organisms is not classified
as an animal? The correct answer is Ugina.
Ugina is neither an animal per se nor a plant, as it carries out both
functions: it functions as a plant and also as an animal.
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Key Characteristics of Ugina
The key characteristics of Ugina are:
It is not classified as an animal
It is not classified as a plant
It carries out functions of both plants and animals
Features of the Exam Guide App
The Exam Guide App has the following features:
Feature Description
Scoring Scores practice tests
Detailed
Provides detailed explanations of all questions
Explanation
Study Mode Allows students to learn particular topics of interest
Mock Mode Simulates a mock test environment
Enables students to practice questions in a practice
Practice Mode
environment
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