SCIENCE 8

QUARTER 4 MODULE 4 WEEK 4

SPECIES CONCEPTS & HIERARCHICAL TAXONOMIC
CLASSIFICATION
.
Let’s Understand (Study the Concept)
Species is the basic biological unit around which classifications are based.
However, what constitutes a species is very difficult to define because of its numerous
definitions today. Biologists attempted to provide various descriptions based on observations on
how it should be defined.
FOUR DEFINITIONS OF SPECIES CONCEPT:

1. Morphological Species Concept (MSP)-

Groups of organisms that share identical
morphological (physical structures)
characteristics.
Limitations: All organisms have physical traits, and
they may have the same morphological structures
but belong to a different species.
Example: A shark and a dolphin shown in figure 1,
possess similar features because of the environment
they live in, however, sharks are more related to rays
and other fish while dolphins are more closely-
related to whales and mammals.
2. Biological Species Concept (BSC) - Ernst Mayr
(1904), a zoologist defined “species as groups of
interbreeding natural populations that are
reproductively isolated from such groups”, which is
the most widely accepted by ecologists.
Example: Asian elephant and African elephant
which are reproductively isolated can produce calves if they are able to meet because they
belong to the same species (figure 2).
Limitations: Organisms may be alike but of different species, as shown in figure 3. They can
mate but produce infertile offspring.
Figure 2: African and Asian Elephant Figure 3: Hybridization between
2 different species

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3. Typological Species Concept (TSC) - Aristotle and Carolus Linnaeus thought of each
species as a set of organisms that resemble one another and is distinct from other sets.
Example: ducks of same size and color are included in one
species
Limitations: Due to several phenomena such as sexual
dimorphism (difference in form between individuals of different
sex in the same species), polymorphism (genetic variations
among members of single species), and age differences, the
same species develop strikingly morphological differences (figure
4).

4. Nominalistic Species Concept (NSC) - According to Occam, together with his followers
((Buffon, Bessey, Lamarck, etc.) believed that only
individuals exist while species are man’s creation.
Organisms were only termed as species for the sake of
classifying closely-resembled individuals.
In 1859, together with Alfred Wallace, Charles Darwin
considered “species as the fundamental units of
evolution” which provided the most coherent and
detailed definition and since Earth is composed
of huge biodiversity of living things. We should
be able to understand how they are related to
one another (figure 5).

A. Direction: Complete the table below. You may use other references to suffice the needed
information.

Genetic Diversity Species Diversity Ecosystem Diversity

Species of cats Oceans Types of Ecosystems

Example: 1. cheetah Example: 1. fishes Example: 1. dessert

2. 2. 2.

3. 3. 3.

HIERARCHICAL TAXONOMIC CLASSIFICATION

Carolus von Linnaeus, “Father of Taxonomy”, was

credited for introducing Binomial nomenclature (two-part
name for species) and hierarchical classification as an
organized way of naming and describing organisms and their
relationship to one another. He described eight taxonomic
categories or taxa (Domain, Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order,

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Family, Genus, Species) as shown in figure 6. There are three main domains in the hierarchy
namely Eukarya (plants and animals), Bacteria and Archaebacteria, and 6 kingdoms,
Archaebacteria, Eubacteria, Fungi, Protista, Plantae and Animalia. Each kingdom plays a great
role in our economic system. For example, in the development of drugs, food industry, building
materials, etc.

B. Direction: Fill in the missing taxonomic classification of humans. Choose your answers on the
choices below. Write your answers on a piece of paper.

Homo Primata Animalia Hominidae Chordata

Domain Kingdom Phylum Class Order Family Genus Species

Human
Eukarya Mammalia sapiens

Let’s Analyze
A. Direction: Read each item carefully. Write True, if the statement is correct, if
false, change the underlined word/s to make it correct. Write your answers on
another sheet of paper.

______1. Carolus Linnaeus described organisms through a hierarchical system.

______2. Species is a group of organisms that can interbreed and produce fertile offspring.
______3. The least inclusive group to which an organism belongs is the kingdom.
______4. A genus is a larger taxonomic unit than a species.
______5. Linnaeus provided the most acceptable definition of species.

B. Direction: Read the following questions carefully and give your best answer (2 pts each).
1. Why is there a need to classify living things?
2. Are all living things related to one another? Why?

Let’s Try (Evaluation)

Direction: Read each item thoroughly and choose the answer that best describes
each statement. Write your answers on a separate sheet of paper.

_____1. Which species concept proposes that all organisms are classified according to their
common physical structures?
A. Nominal Species Concept B. Biological Species Concept

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C. Typological Species Concept D. Morphological Species Concept

_____2. What is the importance of classifying organisms?

A. Allow us to easily identify species on Earth
B. Allow us to understand the diversity of living organisms
C. Helps us to learn the different kinds and types of plants and animals
D. All of the above mentioned

_____3. Which of the following shows the correct hierarchical arrangement of organisms?
A. Domain, Kingdom, Class, Phylum, Family, Genus, Species, Order
B. Domain, Phylum, Order, Kingdom, Species, Family, Class, Genus
C. Domain, Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species
D. Domain, Genus, Phylum, Family, Class, Order, Kingdom, Species

_____4. Which of the following statements best describes the Biological Species Concept?
A. Organisms are included in a single species if they share common physical appearance
B. Organisms are included in a single species if they resemble one another
C. Organisms are included in a single species but geographically isolated from one another
D. Organisms are included in a single species if they both have the same function.

_____5. Charles Darwin and Alfred Wallace are credited for discovering evolution by natural
selection.
A. True C. No correct answer
B. False D. All of the above

Let’s Create

Directions: Create a concept map showing the 6 kingdoms of biological

taxonomic classification. Be able to write at least 2 examples for each
kingdom together with its economic importance.

Rubric for Scoring