Characteristics and classifications of living organisms

• Living things need to be able to do/have

  Movement, Respiration, Sensitivity, Growth, Reproduction, Excretion, Nutrition
• Movement


  An action by an organism causing a change of position or place
• Reproduction


  The process that make more of the same kind of organism
• Sensitivity


  The ability to detect or sense stimuli in the internal or external environment and to make appropriate responses
• Excretion


  The removal of waste products of metabolism, toxic materials and substances in excess of requirement
• Nutrition


  The taking in of materials for energy, growth and development
• Growth


  The permanent increase in size and dry mass by an increase in cell number or cell size or both
• Species


  A group of organisms that can reproduce to produce fertile offspring
• Classification


  The arrangement of organisms into groups of various sizes on the basis of shared features
• What are the five kingdoms?

  Animalia (animal), Plantas (plant), Fungi, Prokaryote (bacteria), Protoctista (single cell organisms)
• What are the subdivisions of the kingdoms?

  Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species

  (in order of largest to smallest)
• What is the name of system that scientists use to name different species and how does it work?

  The Binomial System. It uses Latin names that are in two parts - a genus name written with a capital letter and a species name written with a lower case letter

  (These are often shown in italics)
• Invertebrates


  Animals that do not have a spinal cord or backbones
• What are the four phyla of invertebrates?

  Nematodes, Annelids, Molluscs, Arthropods
• What are the characteristics of Nematodes?

  Thread like, non-segmented bodies

  Tapers at the mouth and anus

  No obvious head and no legs

  Some are parasites
• What are the characteristics of Annelids?


  Have soft segmented bodies

  Some have paddle like extensions for movement

  Most live in the sea
• What are the characteristics of Molluscs?


  Have soft non-segmented bodies

  Have a muscular "foot" for burrowing or movement

  Many have one or two shells for protection
• What are the characteristics of all Arthropods?

  Has segmented bodies

  Has external skeletons (exoskeletons)

  Has jointed legs
• What are the classes of Arthropods?

  Myriapods, Insects, Crustaceans, Arachnids
• What are the characteristics of Crustaceans?

  Take in oxygen through gills

  Have more than four pairs of jointed legs

  Not millipedes or centipedes
• What are the characteristics of Myriapods?


  Centipedes and Milipedes

  Have segmented bodies

  Each segment has jointed legs
• What are the characteristics of Insects?

  Has three pairs of jointed legs

  Two pairs of wings

  Breathe through tracheae

  Have a body divided into head, thorax and abdomen
• What are the characteristics of Arachnids?

  Four pairs of jointed legs

  Dwells on land

  Breathe through gills called book lugs
• Vertebrates


  Animals that have a spinal column or backbones
• What are the five main classes of vertebrates?

  Fish, Amphibians, Mammals, Birds, Reptiles
• What are the characteristics of Fish?

  Absorb oxygen through their gills

  Wet scales

  Almost all are ectothermic (cold blooded)

  Oviparous (lays eggs) and fertilize externally
• What are the characteristics of Amphibians?

  Have smooth, moist skin

  External fertilization and development

  Oviparous (lays eggs)

  Young have gills, Adults have lungs and can breathe through skin
• What are the characteristics of Mammals?

  Have hair or fur

  Mostly Internal fertilization and Viviparous (live young)

  Produce milk to feed young

  Endothermic (warm blooded)
• What are the characteristics of Birds?

  Feathers and front limbs are wings

  Oviparous (lays eggs) and internal fertilization

  Endothermic (warm blooded)

  Has beaks, no teeth
• What are the characteristics of Reptiles?

  Dry scaly skin

  Oviparous (lays eggs) and internal fertilization

  Breathe through lungs

  Ectothermic (cold blooded)
• Why are viruses not classified as living?

  Because they do not carry out the seven characteristics of life
• What are the characteristics of Bacteria?

  Spherical or rod shaped

  Surrounded by cell walls

  No nucleus just a loop of DNA

  Some have extensions called flagella for movement
• What are the characteristics of Fungi?

  Has a nucleus and a cell wall

  No chlorophyll

  Mostly multicellular
• What are the characteristics of Viruses?

  They are particles not cells

  Made up of genetic material (DNA or RNA) surrounded by a protein coat

  Are parasites - enters the cells of another organism in order to multiply
• What are the characteristics of Ferns?

  Has roots, stems and leaves

  Leaves are called fronds

  Do not produce flowers

  Reproduce by spores
• What are the characteristics of Flowering plants?

  Has roots, stems and leaves

  Reproduce sexually through flowers and seeds

  Seeds are produced in the ovaries of the flower
• What are the names of the two groups flowering plants are divided into?

  Monocotyledonous (Monocots) and Dicotyledonous (Dicots)
• What are the characteristics of Monocots?

  Have one Cotyledon in their seeds

  Usually have a branching root system

  Often have leaves that have veins that run parallel to each other
• What are the characteristics of Dicots?

  Have two Cotyledon in their seeds

  Often has a tap root system

  Have brood leaves that have veins formed in a branching network
• What do scientists use to identify living things?

  Dichotomous key - a series of questions or statements describing the characteristics of organisms and have a branching structure with only two options.