Species and Taxonomic Hierarchy Practice Questions
20 free Species and Taxonomic Hierarchy practice questions for the NCERT Biology. Tap an option to answer — you get instant feedback, the correct answer, and a detailed explanation for every question.
Which of the following represents the basic unit of classification in the taxonomic hierarchy?
- A Genus
- B Species
- C Order
- D Kingdom
Correct answer: Species
Species is the fundamental and lowest category in the taxonomic hierarchy. It represents a group of individual organisms with fundamental similarities that are capable of interbreeding.
In the taxonomic hierarchy, as we move from species to kingdom, what happens to the number of common characteristics shared by the members of a taxon?
- A The number of common characters increases.
- B The number of common characters decreases.
- C The number of common characters remains constant.
- D There is no specific pattern for common characters.
Correct answer: The number of common characters decreases.
As we go higher in the hierarchy from species to kingdom, the number of shared characteristics decreases. Species share the maximum number of common features, while members of a kingdom share the fewest.
Which of the following contains a group of related genera which have still fewer similarities as compared to species and genus?
- A Order
- B Class
- C Family
- D Division
Correct answer: Family
Family is the taxonomic category that sits above Genus. It characterizes a group of related genera based on both vegetative and reproductive features of plant species.
The biological name of Mango is Mangifera indica. What does 'indica' represent in this name?
- A Genus
- B Generic epithet
- C Specific epithet
- D Family
Correct answer: Specific epithet
In binomial nomenclature, the first word (Mangifera) is the genus, and the second word (indica) is the specific epithet. The specific epithet refers to the particular species within the genus.
Which taxonomic category is identified based on the aggregates of characters, specifically floral characters in plants?
- A Family
- B Order
- C Genus
- D Species
Correct answer: Order
Order and higher taxonomic categories are identified based on aggregates of characters. For example, the plant order Polymoniales is grouped based mainly on floral characteristics.
Solanum, Panthera, and Triticum are examples of which taxonomic rank?
- A Species
- B Family
- C Genus
- D Order
Correct answer: Genus
These are all generic names (Genera). Solanum includes potato and brinjal, Panthera includes lion and tiger, and Triticum includes wheat.
To which family do Solanum, Petunia, and Datura belong?
- A Fabaceae
- B Liliaceae
- C Solanaceae
- D Poaceae
Correct answer: Solanaceae
Genera such as Solanum, Petunia, and Datura are placed in the family Solanaceae. This classification is based on both vegetative and reproductive similarities among these plants.
The order Carnivora includes which of the following families?
- A Felidae and Canidae
- B Felidae and Solanaceae
- C Muscidae and Felidae
- D Hominidae and Canidae
Correct answer: Felidae and Canidae
Carnivora is an animal order that includes families such as Felidae (cats) and Canidae (dogs). Orders are higher categories that group families sharing a few similar characters.
In the classification of Housefly, which of the following is its correct Order?
- A Insecta
- B Diptera
- C Muscidae
- D Arthropoda
Correct answer: Diptera
The housefly (Musca domestica) belongs to the order Diptera. Insecta is its Class, Muscidae is its Family, and Arthropoda is its Phylum.
Which taxonomic level is 'Division' equivalent to in animal classification?
- A Class
- B Order
- C Phylum
- D Family
Correct answer: Phylum
In the taxonomic hierarchy, 'Phylum' is the term used for animals, while 'Division' is the equivalent term used for plants to represent the level below Kingdom.
Suffixes are often used to identify taxonomic ranks in plants. Which suffix denotes a 'Family' in plant classification?
- A -ales
- B -ae
- C -aceae
- D -phyta
Correct answer: -aceae
In plant nomenclature, the suffix '-aceae' is used for families (e.g., Solanaceae, Poaceae), while '-ales' is used for orders (e.g., Polymoniales, Poales).
Mammalia is a/an _______ which includes orders like Primata and Carnivora.
- A Order
- B Family
- C Class
- D Phylum
Correct answer: Class
Mammalia is a Class. It encompasses several orders, including Primata (monkeys, humans) and Carnivora (cats, dogs), all of which share certain features like mammary glands.
Which of the following statements about the 'Species' concept is correct?
- A A genus is always a higher category than a species.
- B A species is a group of organisms that cannot interbreed at all.
- C Every genus can contain only one specific epithet.
- D A genus may contain one or more specific epithets.
Correct answer: A genus may contain one or more specific epithets.
A genus can contain multiple species that share common generic characteristics. For example, Panthera has leo (lion), tigris (tiger), and pardus (leopard) as different specific epithets, so a genus may have one or more specific epithets.
Which of the following represents the correct taxonomic hierarchy for Wheat?
- A Family: Poaceae, Order: Poales, Class: Monocotyledonae
- B Family: Poales, Order: Poaceae, Class: Dicotyledonae
- C Family: Anacardiaceae, Order: Sapindales, Class: Monocotyledonae
- D Family: Poaceae, Order: Sapindales, Class: Dicotyledonae
Correct answer: Family: Poaceae, Order: Poales, Class: Monocotyledonae
Wheat (Triticum aestivum) belongs to the family Poaceae, the order Poales, and the class Monocotyledonae (monocots).
The taxonomic category that includes all organisms belonging to various phyla is:
- A Class
- B Kingdom
- C Division
- D Order
Correct answer: Kingdom
Kingdom is the highest category in the taxonomic hierarchy. It groups together all organisms from various phyla (for animals) or divisions (for plants).
Which family does the human species (Homo sapiens) belong to?
- A Primata
- B Mammalia
- C Hominidae
- D Chordata
Correct answer: Hominidae
Humans belong to the family Hominidae. Primata is the Order, Mammalia is the Class, and Chordata is the Phylum.
A group of related families are grouped together in which taxonomic category?
- A Genus
- B Order
- C Class
- D Phylum
Correct answer: Order
Order is a higher category that serves as an assemblage of families which exhibit a few similar characters. These similarities are less than those seen at the family or genus level.
The suffix '-ales' is generally used to denote which taxonomic rank in plants?
- A Family
- B Order
- C Class
- D Division
Correct answer: Order
In plant taxonomy, the suffix '-ales' is typically applied to the names of Orders, such as Poales and Sapindales.
Why is it more difficult to classify organisms as we move higher up the taxonomic hierarchy?
- A The total number of individual organisms present in each group decreases.
- B The number of common features shared by the grouped organisms keeps increasing.
- C The number of shared characteristics falls, making relationships less obvious.
- D The organisms that are grouped together become progressively smaller in size.
Correct answer: The number of shared characteristics falls, making relationships less obvious.
At higher levels like Kingdom or Phylum, organisms share very few common features. This lack of shared traits makes determining the biological relationship between different taxa more complex.
Which of the following categories includes all the others listed?
- A Order
- B Genus
- C Family
- D Species
Correct answer: Order
In the hierarchical structure, Order is the highest among the choices. An Order contains multiple Families, a Family contains multiple Genera, and a Genus contains multiple Species.