Biology - 5°B

U1: Classification
Camila Mendoza
 Characteristics of living things
*Excretion: removal of waste products of metabolism and substances in
excess of requirements.
*Growth: permanent increase in size and dry mass.
*Movement: an action by an organism or part of an organism causing a
change of position or place.
*Nutrition: the taking in of materials for energy, growth and development.
*Reproduction: the processes that make more of the same kind of organism.
*Respiration: the chemical reactions in cells that break down nutrient
molecules and release energy for metabolism.
*Sensitivity: the ability to detect and respond to changes in the internal or
external environment.
+ made of cells. MNEMONIC: MRS GREN
 Binomial system
An internationally agreed system in which the scientific name of an
organism is made up of two parts, showing the genus and the species.

Kingdom - Phylum - Class - Order - Family - Genus - Species

Species: A group of organisms that can reproduce to produce fertile offspring.

(Take care: write Latin names correctly - Fist name is genus, belongs in
capital letter, second name is species, both in italics)
 Features of organisms
The cells of all living organisms contain cytoplasm, a cell membrane and
DNA as genetic material.

The kingdoms:
*Animals are multicellular organisms whose cells have a nucleus no cell
walls or chloroplasts. Most animals ingest solid food and digest it
internally.

*Plants are made up of many cells – they are multicellular. Plant cells
have an outside wall made of cellulose. Many of the cells in plant leaves
and stems contain chloroplasts with photosynthetic pigments, such as
chlorophyll. Plants make their food through photosynthesis.
 Features of organisms
The kingdoms:
*Fungi are usually multicellular (many-celled), have nuclei, have cell walls
(not made of cellulose). They do not hace chlorophyll, and they feed by
saprophytic or parasitic nutrition.

*Protoctista can be multi or unicellular: The cells have a nucleus and may
or may not have cell wall and chloroplasts. Some feed by photosynthesis
and others feed on organic substances made by other organisms.

*Prokaryotes are often unicellular (single-celled), have no nucleus, have

cell walls not made of cellulose, have not mitochondria.
 Animals: Phylum Vertebrates
*Class Fish: live in water, have scaly skin, have gills and fins (movements and
balance). Usually produces jelly-covered eggs in water. Eyes but no ears;
lateral line along body for detecting vibrations in water. Cold blooded; gills for
breathing.

*Class Amphibians: moist skin, scale-less skin. Four limbs; back feet often
webbed to make swimming more efficient. Produces jelly-covered eggs in
water, larva (tadpole) lives in water and adult often lives on land. Cold blooded;
lungs and skin for breathing.

*Class Reptiles: dry, scaly skin. Four legs (apart from snakes). Eggs with
rubbery, waterproof shell; eggs are laid on land.Cold blooded; lungs for
breathing.
 Animals: Phylum Vertebrates

*Class Birds: lay eggs with waterproof shells. Feathers, scales on legs. Wings;
two legs. Warm blooded; lungs for breathing; beak. Heart has four chambers.

*Class Mammals: vertebrates with hair. Have a placenta, and young feed on
milk from mammary glands. Warm blooded; lungs for breathing. Have a
diaphragm, heart with four chambers and different types of teeth. Humans
belog to this group.
 Animals: Phylum Arthropods
*Insects: three pairs of legs; usually have two pairs of wings; one pair of
antennae; body divided into head, thorax and abdomen; a pair of compound
eyes.

*Crustaceans: five or more pairs of legs; two pairs of antennae; body divided
into cephalothorax and abdomen; exoskeleton often calcified to form a
carapace (hard); compound eyes.

*Arachnids: four pairs of legs; body divided into cephalothorax and abdomen;
several pairs of simple eyes; chelicerae for biting and poisoning prey.

*Myriapods: ten or more pairs of legs (usually one pair per segment); one pair
of antennae; body not obviously divided into thorax and abdomen; simple eyes
 Dichotomous keys

Keys are often used by biologists in the process of identifying

organisms.

A key is a way of leading you through to the name of your organism by

giving you two descriptions at a time, and asking you to choose
between them.