GENERAL BIOLOGY 2

Governor Pack Road, Baguio City, Philippines 2600

Tel. Nos.: (+6374) 442-3316, 442-8220; 444-2786;
442-2564; 442-8219; 442-8256; Fax No.: 442-6268 Third Trimester
Email: email@[Link]; Website: [Link]

MODULE 4 – Gen Bio 2 Subject Teacher:

Outline:
a. Introduction to Systematics
b. Taxonomy
Learning Objectives:
After completing the module, the students will be able to:
1. Explain how the structural and developmental characteristics and relatedness of DNA sequences are
used in classifying living things.
2. Identify the unique/ distinctive characteristics of a specific taxon relative to other taxa.
3. Describe species diversity and cladistics, including the types of evidence and procedures that can be
used to establish evolutionary relationships.

Taxonomy and Classification

Introduction

 Systematics
- is the scientific study of the diversity of organisms and their evolutionary relationships.
 Taxonomy
- is the science of classification and it involves the naming of organisms (nomenclature).
 Classification
- is the arrangement of organisms into groups based on their similarities, which reflect
evolutionary relationships among lineages.
Types of Classification:
1. Artificial Classification System
- based on one or a few observable characteristics (color, how they move, habitat or
their size).
Example:
a. fish can be grouped into freshwater fish, brackish-water fish, and marine fish
(based on their habitat)
b. Flowers are group according to their color

2. Natural Classification System

- based on many features, internal and external (anatomy, biochemical,
physiological, morphology, embryology and cytology).
Two types:
a. Phenetic classification
- based on similarities in appearance
- it is a quantitative approach (the more similarities between organisms,
the more they are in the same group)
- computer programs are used to analyze data and group organisms
according to the number of shared characteristics.
- Example:
a. Dolphins and Porpoises are classified as mammals because they
share more similarities with mammals

b. Phylogenic classification
- based on shared characteristics which reflects evolutionary
relationships or phylogeny (evolutionary classification)
- biologist compare not only the physical similarities but also the
development, behavioral, and molecular traits.
- Tools used to classify:
a. Comparison of homologous structures
o Shared ancestral characteristics or plesiomorphic
characteristics (traits that were present in an ancestral
species and remain present in the organisms) – example:
vertebral column is present in vertebrates (subphylum
vertebrata)
 GENERAL BIOLOGY 2
Governor Pack Road, Baguio City, Philippines 2600
Tel. Nos.: (+6374) 442-3316, 442-8220; 444-2786;
442-2564; 442-8219; 442-8256; Fax No.: 442-6268 Third Trimester
Email: email@[Link]; Website: [Link]

MODULE 4 – Gen Bio 2 Subject Teacher:

Shared derived characteristics or synapomorphic

o
characteristics (traits shared by a group of taxa due to
their inheritance from a common ancestor) – example:
Birds and Reptiles, both share the ancestral
characteristics of laying eggs.
b. Comparison of RNA and DNA sequence (protein structure)
o Genes of many organisms show important similarities at
the molecular level
o DNA and RNA of different organisms are compared to
trace the history of genes

 Cladogram
- used to trace the process of evolution in a group of organisms based on shared derived
characteristics.
- help scientists understand how one lineage branched from another in the course of
evolution.
- each branch point (node) represents the most recent common ancestor. The node
represents the divergence or splitting of two or more new groups from a common
ancestor.

Building a cladogram
1. identify the shared characteristics of the following organisms.

2. Prepare a chart to record the characteristics of each organism

ORGANISMS Bear Human Dolphin Toad

Characteristics
Backbone / / / /
Two pairs of limbs / / /
Fur or Hair / /
Bipedal /

3. Draw a Venn diagram starting with the characteristics that is shared by all the
organisms. Continue with the characteristics with the next highest number of organisms
that share them and so on.

Bipedal: Human

Fur or hair: Bear, Human

Two pairs of limbs: Bear, Human, Toad

Backbone: Bear, Human, Toad, Dolphin

 GENERAL BIOLOGY 2
Governor Pack Road, Baguio City, Philippines 2600
Tel. Nos.: (+6374) 442-3316, 442-8220; 444-2786;
442-2564; 442-8219; 442-8256; Fax No.: 442-6268 Third Trimester
Email: email@[Link]; Website: [Link]

MODULE 4 – Gen Bio 2 Subject Teacher:

4. Convert the Venn diagram into a cladogram

TAXONOMY

 Taxon
- is a group that contains organisms that share some basic features that indicate they share
a common ancestry.
The seven main taxa:
1. Kingdom – the largest and most inclusive grouping such as animals, plants, fungi
2. Phylum – organisms organized on a similar plan
3. Class – a grouping of orders within a phylum’
4. Order – a group of related families
5. Family – a group of related genera
6. Genus – a group of similar and closely related species
7. Species – a group of organisms capable of interbreeding to produce fertile offspring

BINOMIAL NOMENCLATURE
- the system of naming.
- it is a standard two-part system for naming things.
- developed by Carolus Linnaeus in which species is given a name consisting of two words.
1. Generic name – the name of the genus (written with an uppercase letter).
2. Specific epithet - the name of the species (written with a lowercase letter).
* The two words are printed in italics (or underlined when handwritten)
 GENERAL BIOLOGY 2
Governor Pack Road, Baguio City, Philippines 2600
Tel. Nos.: (+6374) 442-3316, 442-8220; 444-2786;
442-2564; 442-8219; 442-8256; Fax No.: 442-6268 Third Trimester
Email: email@[Link]; Website: [Link]

MODULE 4 – Gen Bio 2 Subject Teacher:

Example:
 Persian Cat
Genus: Felis
Species: catus
Felis catus

 Polar Bear
Genus: Ursus
Species: maritimus
Ursus maritimus

- Biologist group the organisms into three domains and six kingdoms
Three Domains:
a. Domain Eukarya – composed of protists, fungi, plants, and animals
b. Domain Eubacteria – kingdom Eubacteria
c. Domain Archaea – kingdom Archaebacteria

Six Kingdom:
a. Eubacteria
b. Archaebacteria
c. Protista
d. Fungi
e. Plantae
f. Animalia
 GENERAL BIOLOGY 2
Governor Pack Road, Baguio City, Philippines 2600
Tel. Nos.: (+6374) 442-3316, 442-8220; 444-2786;
442-2564; 442-8219; 442-8256; Fax No.: 442-6268 Third Trimester
Email: email@[Link]; Website: [Link]

MODULE 4 – Gen Bio 2 Subject Teacher:

References:
Raven, P. H., Johnson, G. B., Mason, K. A., Losos, J.B. and Singer, S. R. (2011). Biology 9th Edition.
McGraw-Hill. pp. 234-243
Rey, J. D. and Ramos, J. M. (2018). Senior High School General Biology 2. Oxford University
Press. pp. 235-244