IGCSE CAIE Biology 0610 2024-2028 Notes

1. Characteristics and classification of living organisms

1.2 Concept and uses of classification systems:
● Organisms can be classified into groups by the features that they share.
● Species is a group of organisms that can reproduce to produce fertile offspring.

Binomial system of naming species is an internationally agreed system in which the scientific
name of an organism is made up of two parts showing the genus and species.
● Genus species
● Italicised if types
● Underlined if hand-written

For example, Homo sapiens

In today’s day and age, classification is referred to as Natural classification where organisms
are classified based on their sequences of bases in DNA.
● Natural classification is associated with more accuracy and precise classification.
● Those groups of organisms which share a more recent ancestor have base sequences
in DNA that are more similar than those that share only a distant ancestor

The identification of biological organisms can be greatly simplified using tools such as
dichotomous keys. It is a written set of choices, each involving two statements, that leads to
the name of an organism. Scientists use these to identify unknown organisms.

What is the need for classification?

A classificatory system allows scientists to not only categorise species into their natural
groups but also allows understanding of their evolutionary relationships.
IGCSE CAIE Biology 0610 2024-2028 Notes

Consider the following animals. They are all related, but each is a separate species. Use the
dichotomous key below to determine the species of each.

Answers:
A: Deerus magnus B: Deerus pestis C: Deerus octagis

D: Deerus purplinis E: Deerus deafus F: Deerus humpis

As seen above:
● The keys are mutually exclusive characteristics of biological organisms.
● They often begin with general characteristics and lead to more specific
characteristics.
● you simply compare the characteristics of an unknown organism against an
appropriate dichotomous key.
● if the organism falls into one category, you go to the next indicated couplet.