Describe how taxonomy is used to classify a named organism, referring to the correct order of taxa.

Edexcel GCSE Biology (1BI0) — 4.2 Classification · Describe · 4 marks · View as Markdown

Written & reviewed by James Millett — Biology (Imperial College London), PGCE Science (University of Cambridge).

Scientists use taxonomy to sort all living organisms into groups. A domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris) and a grey wolf (Canis lupus) are both classified using the same hierarchical system.

Model answer (4 marks)

Taxonomy classifies organisms into a series of hierarchical groups from the broadest to the most specific:
1. Kingdom
2. Phylum
3. Class
4. Order
5. Family
6. Genus
7. Species

For a named organism such as the domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris) the classification would be:
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Chordata
- Class: Mammalia
- Order: Carnivora
- Family: Canidae
- Genus: Canis
- Species: lupus

Organisms that share the same genus are more closely related and share more characteristics than those that only share a higher taxon such as family. Therefore the domestic dog and the grey wolf (Canis lupus) are in the same genus, making them more closely related to each other than to organisms that only share a higher taxon.

Examiner tips

  • Use the exact seven taxonomic ranks in order; list at least four of them.
  • Show the domestic dog’s full classification to demonstrate understanding of the hierarchy.
  • Explain the significance of sharing a genus to justify the close relationship.
  • Keep the answer concise and use correct scientific names (italicised).

Common mistakes

  • Listing the ranks out of order or omitting any of the seven.
  • Using common names instead of scientific names for the taxa.
  • Failing to explain why sharing a genus indicates a closer relationship.

Mark scheme (4 marks)

  1. Taxonomy classifies organisms into taxa in a specific order from largest/broadest to smallest/most specific group
  2. Correctly names at least four taxa in the correct sequence: kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, species
  3. Organisms in the same genus share more characteristics / are more closely related than organisms in the same family (or higher taxon)
  4. The domestic dog and grey wolf share the same genus (Canis) so they are closely related / more similar to each other than to organisms only sharing a higher taxon

Key terms in this question

taxonomy · taxa

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