What do you notice about the options of each step as they

Question

Biology Lab Assignment: Taxonomy

Pre-Lab Questions

1. Use the following classifications to determine which organism is least related out of the three. Explain your rationale.

Table 2: Classifications
Classification Level	American Green Tree Frog		European Fire- Bellied Toad	Eastern Newt
Domain		Eukarya	Eukarya		Eukarya
Kingdom		Animalia	Animalia		Animalia
Phylum		Chordata	Chordata		Chordata
Class		Amphibia	Amphibia		Amphibia
Order		Anura	Anura		Caudata
Family		Hylidae	Bombinatoridae		Salamandridae
Genus		Tursipops	Bombina		Notophthalmus
Species		cinerea	bombina		viridescens

2. How has DNA sequencing affected the science of classifying organisms?

3. You are on vacation and see an organism that you do not recognize. Discuss what possible steps you can take to classify it.

Exercise 1: Dichotomous Key Practice

Table 3: Dichotomous Key Results
Organism	Binomial Name
i
ii
iii
iv
v
vi
vii
viii
ix
x
xi
xii
xiii

Post-Lab Questions

1. What do you notice about the options of each step as they go from number one up?

2. How does your answer from Question 1 relate to the Linnaean classification system?

Exercise 2: Classification of Organisms

Data Tables and Post-Lab Assessment

Table 2: Key Characteristics of Some Organisms

Organism	Kingdom	Domain	Defined Nucleus	Motile	Cell Wall	Photosynthesis	Unicellular
E. coli					Yes		Yes
Protozoa			Yes	Yes			Yes
Mushroom			Yes		Yes
Sunflower			Yes		Yes	Yes
Bear			Yes	Yes

Figure 4: Exercise 2 - Classification of Organisms Flow Chart

Post-Lab Questions

1. Did this series of questions correctly organize each organism? Why or why not?

2. What additional questions would you ask to further categorize the items within the kingdoms (Hint: think about other organisms in each of the kingdoms and what makes them different than the examples used here)?

3. What questions would you have asked instead of the ones that you answered above when classifying the organisms?