HOW TO CLASSIFY? Read the passage and answer the questions which follow.

It has been suggested that only 1 in 10 of the plant and animal species in the world have been
described and classified. Hundreds, and sometimes thousands, of new species are discovered and
described every year.
When a new organism is discovered, it is given a binomial. Taxonomists attempt to describe its
morphological characteristics, so that other biologists will be able to recognize it, and distinguish
it from other similar organisms. Further studies, however, may be required before it can finally
be decided whether the organism is a truly new species, or simply a morphological variant of a
species which is already known and named.
A large majority of known species, and of the new ones being discovered, are insects. Of these,
the beetles make up by far the largest group; one on four of all known species are beetles. In one
study in a Panamanian rain forest, it was found that nine individuals of the tree Luehea
seemannii had 1200 species of beetles living on them, of which 163 species were estimated to be
found only on that species of tree. As the number of tropical rain forest species is about 50,000, it
was calculated that there could be 8,150,000 different species of beetles found on those trees.
Simply describing large numbers of species would produce an unmanageable list. To handle such
large quantities of data, taxonomists must classify species. The earliest systems of classification
were artificial. Plants, for example, can be classified as edible, medicinal or poisonous. Modern
classification systems now attempt to classify organisms in a hierarchical, phylogenetic manner.
1. Define the following terms:
a. binomial (line 4);
It the generic name and the species name

b. hierarchical (line 18);

Its a ranking classification system

10

15

2. When a new organism is discovered, further studies may be required before it can finally be
decided if it is a new species. Suggest what these studies might be. (Line 6)
This is studies can be a specific method to see if that species can mate and create an fertile
offspring. DNA profiling

3. In what way is a phylogenetic classification system better than an artificial one?

It is better because it classifies organisms not just focusing in that main species but theyre
ancestors.

4. a. In the Panamanian rain forest study, what assumptions have been made in calculating that
there may be 8,150,000 different species of beetles living on rain forest trees? (Lines 13-14)
Every tree contains the same number of species as the first tree.

b. Suggest one way in which this study could realistically be extended to give a more
reliable estimate of the number of beetle species in the rain forest.
More actual data than and estimating data.