Classification Worksheet
1. Correct the way these scientific names are written.
- Felis Catus (domestic cat)
- Mus musculus (mouse)
- Rattus norvegicus (brown rat)
- Canis Familiaris (domestic dog)
- gallus gallus (chicken)
- Echinococcus granulosus, Linnaeus, 1758 (hydatid tapeworm)
- Rana Temporalis (frog)
2. These are the rules for writing scientific names: (Indicate whether true or false).
- There are always two parts to the name.
- There can be one or two parts to the name.
- The name is in English.
- The name is in Latin.
- The whole name is written in capital letters.
- The whole name is written in lower case letters.
- The first part of the name has a capital first letter.
- The second part of the name is all lower case.
- The name is underlined or written in italics.
3. Place these organisms in one of the five Kingdoms. (ie Plant, Animal, Fungus, Bacteria, Single celled organisms).
- Mushroom
- Octopus
- Mycobacterium bovis (TB bacterium)
- Pine tree
- Plasmodium vivax (malaria parasite)
- Flea
- Seaweed
- Elephant
- Toenail
4. Which of these belong in the Animal Kingdom?
- Carnivorous plant
- Killer whale
- Jellyfish
- Tapeworm
- Ringworm
- Earthworm
- Frog
5. Place the following Vertebrates in the right Class (i.e. Fish, Amphibian, Reptile, Bird or Mammal)
- Toad
- Hammerhead shark
- Opossum
- Rattle snake
- Emu
- Tortoise
- Ferret
- Platypus
- Tree frog
- Flounder
6. Fill in the blanks in the table below.
| Characteristic/Class | FISH | AMPHIBIAN | REPTILE | MAMMAL | BIRD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HABITAT | Water | ....... | ....... | Land and water | ........... |
| RESPIRATION | Gills | ....... | ....... | Lungs | ............. |
| LIMBS | Fins | Weak legs | ....... | ....... | Wings |
| SKIN | Porous, wet | ....... | Waterproof, dry | ....... | .............. |
| REPRODUCTION | In water,
thin shelled eggs |
....... | On land,
thicker shelled, waterproof eggs |
....... | ............... |
| FERTILISATION | External | ....... | ....... | Internal | .............. |
| TEMPERATURE CONTROL | Cold blooded
(poikilothermic) |
....... | ....... | Warm blooded
(homoiothermic) |
.............. |
7. Mammals are divided into 3 groups, the Monotremes, Marsupials and Mammals proper. Place the following into one of these groups.
- Mouse
- Pouched mouse
- Duck billed platypus
- Guinea pig
- Wombat
- Aardvark
- Koala
- Opossum
- Ant-eater
- Wolf
- Tasman wolf
8. Place these Mammals in the correct Order (i.e. Rodent, Carnivore, Artiodactyla, Perissodactyla, Cetacea, Primates)
- Rat
- Wolf
- Goat
- Killer whale
- Donkey
- Bear
- Camel
- Spider monkey
- Cow
- Guinea pig
- Zebra
- Leopard
9. Place the following categories used in the classification of animals in the correct order i.e. From largest group to smallest.
- Genus, Order, Family, Kingdom, Class, Species, Phylum.
10. How could you tell if two animals belong to the same species?
