Biology Short Notes-XI

• All living beings have characteristics like: growth, reproduction, metabolism, response to external stimulus
• Growth in individual has two characteristics: increase in mass and increase in number
• Organisms grow by cell division
• All organisms are able to reproduce.
• Reproduction is the ability of the organism to produce its own kind or its progeny that is more or less similar to the parent organism
• Mules, Worker bees, infertile human beings etc are not able to reproduce
• Metabolism is the sum total of the biochemical reactions that take place in the body of an organism
• Cellular organization is the characteristic feature of an organism
• Consciousness is the defining feature of an organism.
• Carolus Linneaus, a Swedish Botanist, is the father of Taxonomy. He gave the concept of Binomial Nomenclature. His publication on taxonomy is known as ‘Systema Naturae’
• The scientific name has two parts: First represents Genus and second part is Specific Epithet
• Biological names are generally in Latin
• In print form, Biological names are written in italics. These are underlined separately when handwritten
• The first word of the genus is denoted with capital letter whereas specific epithet is written in small letters. E.g.Panthera leo (Lion), Panthera tigris (Tiger), Mangifera indica (Mango), Homo sapiens (Human being)
• In above mentioned examples, leo, tigris, indica and sapiens are the species of genus Panthera, Panthera, Mangifera and Homo respectively
• One genus has organisms of related species having more common characteristics than the species of other genera
• Genera is the plural form of Genus
• Brinjal (Solanum melongena), Potato (Solanum tuberosum) are from the common genus Solanum
• In plants, Families are characterized both on vegetative and reproductive features
• Solanum, Petunia, Daturaare the genera of family Solanaceae
• Panthera, Felis are the genera of family Felidae
• Canis (Dogs), Vulpues(Fox) are the genera of family Canidae
• Order is a higher category to family and is an assembly of families having some common characteristics.
• In plants, Family Solanaceae, Family Convolvulaceae belong to Order Polymoniales.

Family Fabaceae, Family Polygalaceae belong to Order fabales

• In animals, Family Felidae and family Canidae belong to Order Carnivora. Family Pongidae (Apes) and Hominidae (Human being) belong to Order Primata
• Class is an assemblage of Orders having few similar character. E.g Order Carnivora, Order Primata belong to Class Mammalia. In Plants, Order Polymoniales and Order Fabales belong to Class Dicotyledonae
• Phylum is an assemblage of Classes with few common features. All organisms having Notochord and Dorsal hollow Neural System are included in Phylum Chordata. It includes Class Pisces (Fish), Class Amphibia (Amphibians), Class Reptilua (Reptiles). Class Aves (Birds) and Class Mammalia (Mammals)
• In Plants, group of Classes with few similar features are termed as Division. E.g. Division Angiospermae includes all flowering plants having covered seed (Both Classes Monocotyledonae and Dicotyledonae)