# Distinguish between the terms 'species' and 'genus' in biological classification.

> IB DP Biology Standard Level (2023 syllabus) — A3.1 Diversity of organisms · Distinguish · 4 marks

## Mark scheme (4 marks)

1. A species is a group of organisms that can interbreed (and produce fertile offspring), whereas a genus is a broader grouping containing one or more related species.
2. Members of the same genus share more recent common ancestry / are more closely related to each other than to members of other genera.
3. In binomial nomenclature the genus name is the first part of the scientific name (written with a capital letter), and organisms of the same species share both the genus and specific epithet.
4. All individuals of a given species can be placed in exactly one genus, but a single genus may contain multiple species (so genus is a less precise / broader category than species).

## Key terms

- [species](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/glossary/species)
- [genus](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/glossary/genus)

## Related

- [Revision notes for IB DP Biology Standard Level (2023 syllabus)](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/learn)
- [How to answer "Distinguish" questions](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/tools/command-word-cheatsheet)
- [Practice this with AI marking (free)](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/start)

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Source: [GradeNine](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/q/distinguish-between-the-terms-species-and-a263a861) · Published by Druglandscape Ltd.