Dichotomous Keys

A D O PT E D / P R E PA R E D / E DI TE D BY:
J O N AT H A N D. G A M EZ
B P S FA C U LT Y
How is life organized?
Life is organized at all levels from cells to
biosphere
◦ All Organisms and systems are organized from
simple parts into complex systems that must
maintain homeostasis in order to survive.
What is taxonomy?
Branch of biology which deals with classifying
and naming of organisms.
How did it start?
People wanted to organize their world so they
began grouping, or classifying everything they
saw.
Things that fly
Things that swim
Things that crawl
Things that walk on four legs
Things that chew their food
Things that swallow food whole
Things that are toxic
The Seven Level System

Kingdom (KING)
Phylum (PHILIP) Kingdom: it is the first and largest
Class (CAME) category in classification.

Order (OVER) Species: it is the last and smallest

category.
Family (FOR)
Genus (GRAPE)
Species (SODA)
But what if we find things we
don't know and we want to
know what they are?
We use something’s characteristics in a similar
way using…
What’s my
name !?
Dichotomous Keys
 A dichotomous key is a tool that allows the user to
determine the identity of items in the natural world
based on the items characteristics.
 "Dichotomous" means divided into two parts.
 Dichotomous keys always give two distinct choices in
each step, often they are opposites.
 Black/white; good/evil; pointed/rounded
How to use a
Dichotomous Key?
Here are creatures we don’t know!

Lets choose one

How to use a
Dichotomous Key?
Choose only one creature at a time.
How to use a
Dichotomous Key?
• Read steps 1a and 1b
1a. The creature has two eyes. Go to step 2.
1b. The creature has one eye. Go to step 5.

• Decide which statement is true.

• Statement 1b is true.

• Go to Step 5, skipping steps 2-4.

How to use a
Dichotomous Key?
• At 5, you make another dichotomous choice.
• Read steps 5a and 5b
5a. The creature has 1 or more antennae. Go to step 6.
5b. The creature has no antennae. Its name is A.

• Decide which statement is true.

• Statement 5a is true.

• Go to Step 6.
How to use a
Dichotomous Key?
Keep going until you come to a step that
gives you the creature’s name.
• Read steps 6a and 6b
6a. The creature has 1 antennae. Go to step 7.
6b. The creature has 2 antennae. Its name is C.

• Decide which statement is true.

• Statement 6b is true.
How to use a
Dichotomous Key?

• Choose a new creature and start at Step 1a and 1b

again.
• Continue until you find the creature’s name.
• Then find all the creature’s names.
What if I need to Make
a Dichotomous Key:
• Use constant characteristics rather than variable ones.
(Flowers change with the seasons)
• Use measurements rather than terms like "large" and "small".
• Make the choice a positive one
• Something "is" instead of "is not".
• Ex: snake ears are internal only
• If possible, start both choices of a pair with the same
word or item.
• The body is “round” vs the body is “square”
• Finish the dichotomous key with a full description of the
organism.
Dichotomous Keys
1. a. wings covered by an exoskeleton – go to step 2
b. wings freely observed – Go to step 3

2. a. body has a round shape ……….ladybug, a red beetle with

black spots
b. body has an elongated shape ……….grasshopper, a green
insect that hops

3. a. wings point out from the side of the body ……….dragonfly,

an insect that is 10- 15 cm long and lives in marshes
b. wings point to the posterior of the body ……….housefly, a
flying insect with red eyes and an annoying buzz
Dichotomous key
Another Example of a dichotomous key…
1 With flower. Angiosperms
Without flower Go to 2
2 Seedless. Go to 3
Seed bearing Gymnosperms
3 Plant body do not differentiated into root, Go to 4
stem and leaves.
Plant body differentiated into root, stem and Go to 5
leaves
4 Without photosynthetic pigment. Algae
With chlorophyll or other photosynthetic Fungi
pigment
5 No vascular tissues. Mosses
With vascular tissues Fern
Dichotomous key
 the dichotomous key can also be expressed in a diagram form
Plants

With flower Without flower

Flowering Plants
(Angiosperm) Non-flowering plants

Seedless Seed-bearing

Plant body not Plant body

differentiated into differentiated
root, stem and into stem and
leaves leaves

With chlorophyll or
Without photsyn- No vascular With vascular
other photosynthetic
thetic pigment tissues tissues
pigment

Algae Fungi Mosses Ferns Gymnosperms

 MAKING A
DICHOTOMOUS
CLASSIFICATION KEY
 Possible Characteristics
• Hammer-like head
• All made of one material
• Is it hinged
• Has a sharp edge
• Has holes
Hammer-like head NO Hammer-like head
 Hammer-like head NO Hammer-like head

1. a Hammer - like head ……… ?

b No hammer – like Head ……… ?

1. a Hammer - like head ……… go to #2

b No hammer – like Head ……… ?
 Hammer-like head NO Hammer-like head

Made of all NOT Made

Wood of all Wood

1. a Hammer - like head ……… Go to 2

b No hammer – like Head ……… ?

1. a Hammer - like head ……… Go to 2 2. a Made of all wood ……… gavel

b No hammer – like Head ……… ? b Not made of all wood ……… Go to 3

2. a Made of all wood ………?

b Not made of all wood ………?
 Hammer-like head NO Hammer-like head

Made of all Not made of

Wood all Wood

1. a Hammer - like head ……… Go to 2

b No hammer – like Head ……… ?

2. a Made of all wood ……… gavel

Ends of head Ends of head b Not made of all wood ……… Go to 3
are different NOT different 3. a End of head are different ……… ?
b Ends of head are not different ………?
1. a Hammer - like head ……… Go to 2
b No hammer – like Head ……… ?

2. a Made of all wood ……… gavel

b Not made of all wood ……… Go to 3

3. a End of head are different ……… hammer

b Ends of head are not different ………mallet
 Hammer-like head NO Hammer-like head

Sides of head Sides of head

are different are NOT different

All wooden
NOT all wooden
1. a Hammer - like head ……… Go to 2
b No hammer – like Head ………?
2. a Made of all wood ……… gavel
b Not made of all wood ……… Go to 3
3. a End of head are different ……… hammer
b Ends of head are not different ………mallett
4. a ?
b ?
1. a Hammer - like head ……… Go to 2
b No hammer – like Head ……… Go to 4
2. a Made of all wood ……… gavel
b Not made of all wood ……… Go to 3
3. a End of head are different ……… hammer
b Ends of head are not different ………mallet
4. a ?
b ?
 Hammer-like head NO Hammer-like head

Ends of head Ends of head

are different are NOT different

? ?

All wooden NOT all wooden

Finish your dichotomous key