Science 8

Quarter 4 – Module 4:
Species: Its Classification and
Biodiversity
Science – Grade 8
Alternative Delivery Mode
Quarter 4 – Module 4: Species: Its Classification and Biodiversity
First Edition, 2020

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Published by the Department of Education

Secretary: Leonor Magtolis Briones
Undersecretary: Diosdado M. San Antonio

Development Team of the Module

Writers: Sheila Marie C. Undan/ Theresa D. Fermin

Editor: Lovely Shayne B. Dela Cruz
Reviewer: William N. Balala
Illustrator: Sherilou L. Balingbing
Layout Artist: Cressida Madelein D. Gutierrez
Management Team: May B. Eclar, CESO III
Librada M. Rubio, PhD
Ma. Editha R. Caparas, EdD
Nestor R. Nuesca, EdD
Larry B. Espiritu, PhD
Rodolfo A. Dizon, PhD
Mary Queen P. Orpilla, PhD

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Department of Education – Region III

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 Lesson

1 The Concept of a Species

The variety of life in a certain area of ecosystem is commonly known as

biodiversity. It renders direct and indirect values or standards to humans, which helps
maintain a healthy environment. Thus, biodiversity is made up of all living forms from
its smallest unit like bacterium to the trees and human beings.

Furthermore, a group of living organisms containing similar individuals

capable of interbreeding is called a species. Approximately, there are around 8.7
million different species of living forms on the Earth, but only 1.3 million of them have
been discovered and described. From this, it can be said that the diversity of living
organisms make life on Earth truly astonishing.
As you proceed to the lesson, you will learn more about the three concepts of
a species.

What’s In

Directions: Supply the missing letters to complete the given words being described by
the following phrases. Write your answers in your notebook/on a separate sheet of
paper.

Word/s Phrases
1. B _ _ D I V _ R S _ _ Y Variety of life in an area

2. S _ _ C_ E _ Group of interbreeding natural

populations that are reproductively
isolated from other such groups.
3. P _ P _ L _ T _ _ N Group of living things within a
certain area that are all of the same
species.
4. C_M M _ N _ _ Y A group of people living in the same
place or having a particular
characteristic in common.
5. S P _ C _ _ S D_ V E _ S _ _ Y The number of species in the
community to the relative abundance
of each species in the same
community.

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 What is It

As mentioned from Lesson 1, we define biodiversity as the variety of life in a

particular habitat or ecosystem that renders direct or indirect values or standards to
humans, which help sustain a healthy environment.

There are three levels of biodiversity, namely:

 Genetic diversity  simply implies the variability or variety of versions

of the same genes within species.
 Species diversity  refers to the variety of species or organisms within
an ecosystem.
 Ecosystem diversity  refers to the variety of habitats or ecosystems
that exist within the biosphere.

What is a species?
It is the contingents or class of animals and plants, which usually
establishing subdivisions of genus. These are having common and permanent
traits that can be distinguished from other groups.

Additionally, it denotes the fundamental taxonomic unit. All living forms

or organisms have their species classification. However, differentiating what
makes one group of organisms different from another group is another thing,
and it is not easy.

Why identify species?

Scientific communication  to categorize and communicate their work on

various organisms.
Phylogeny  to discern and scrutinize what makes groups different and how
organisms are related to one another.
Conservation  to track the status and diversity of population within an
ecosystem.

Species Concepts
Scientists have developed various ideas on how to define a species. Here are a
few possible species concepts:

Biological species concept:

 Species are the groups of actually and potentially interbreeding natural

populations that are reproductively separated from such groups. (Mayr,
1940)

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  A Species is a reproductive community of populations (reproductively
isolated from others) that inhabit a distinct position in nature (Mayr,
1982)
 Species are the members of a group of populations that breed or
potentially interbreed with each other under natural state or conditions
(Futuyma, 1986)

 Use the ability to mate and produce offspring that can also mate and reproduce to
classify species.

Figure 1. The Western meadowlark (left) and

the Eastern meadowlark (right) appear to be
identical, and their ranges overlap, but their
distinct songs prevent interbreeding

Source: USFWS Mountain – Prairie, 2016

J. Amorin, 2014

Sturnella neglecta Sturnella magna

Other Species Concepts

Typological or Morphological Species Concept.

The concept of typological species was coined
by the Greek philosopher Aristotle and botanist
Linnaeus. They thought that species are distinctive
from other organisms based on their physical
characteristics. However, they were wrong. This is
due to some organisms still classified as the same
species even though they have different colors.
Organisms alter at a certain time. Later on, the
Figure 2. Plant hydrangea having
concept has changed.
pink "flowers" and modified leaves —
 Use physical similarities to classify species. or blue "flowers."

Source: M. LaBar, 2011

Phylogenetic or
Evolutionary Species Concept. This concept suggests
that two or more groups that evolved independently from
an ancestral population can be considered and classified
as belonging to various species. Also, it defines the
species in terms of population and ancestry.
Figure 3. A species of Eurasian
coot, Fulica atra (left), resembles to Phylogeny. This concept posits that if the living organism
a duck (right) but it is not actually goes to a similar species, it is evident that they have
a duck species. common ancestry and must be distinct from the other
contingents. To top it all, it refers to the evolutionary
Source: I. Morton, 2018 history of a species.
N. Turner, 2017
Use shared, unique genetic history of classifying
species.

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 Ecological Species Concept. Basically,
species are groups of populations that have
similar ecological requirements and
nutritional needs. This concept says that
members of the same species occupy the
same niche. However, species are ecologically
different.

 Use the same ecological role or niche to classify Figure 4. The Anopheles mosquito (left)
species. and the Aedes mosquito (right)
represent different species because they
are active at different times of the day,
and prefer different breeding grounds,
among other things.

Source: A. Guitarte, 2009

J. Ragai, 2013

What I Have Learned

1. Biodiversity is a variety and variability among living organisms, all of the

natural processes including ecosystem, genetic and cultural diversity, and the
connections between these and all species.

2. All living things/organisms have a species classification.

3. Among numerous concepts proposed to define species, the biological species

concept is the most applicable.

4. The categorization and maintenance of species records are important for science
and conservation.

5. To identify an individual’s species, scientists will typically consider Biological

Species Concept, then descent from common ancestry and genotypic and
phenotypic cohesion.

6. Species concepts are still subject to debate.

Assessment

Directions: Read each item analytically. Choose the letter of the best answer. Write
your answers in your notebook/on a separate sheet of paper.

1. It refers to the number and variety of species that live in an area.

a. Biodiversity
b. Community
c. Habitat
d. Population

2. Genetic biodiversity covers different varieties of a _____________ species.

a. different
b. equal genes
c. same
d. united
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3. The phylogenetic species concept can be applied
a. to sexually and asexually reproducing organisms.
b. only to sexually reproducing organisms.
c. without regard for trait differences.
d. based upon the presence or absence of a single gene pool.

4. Which of the following choices correctly describes the biological species concept?
a. This concept does not apply to asexual organisms.
b. Members of a species have a single gene pool.
c. Members of the same species can interbreed.
d. All of these choices describe the biological species concept correctly.

5. Which is not the type of biodiversity?

a. ecosystem
b. genetic
c. population
d. species

6. Which of these definitions of species most closely fit the biological species concept?
a. Members of the same species are all morphological species.
b. Members of the same species are all genetically identical.
c. Members of the same species look almost exactly alike.
d. Members of the same species can mate and produce fertile offspring.

7. Which of the following refers to the variety of species or organisms within an

ecosystem?
a. species diversity
b. ecosystem diversity
c. genetic diversity
d. kingdom diversity

8. According to the biological species concept, a species is a population of organisms

that _________________.

a. can successfully interbreed but cannot breed with other groups.

b. has a similar structure and appearance.
c. is physically separated from other organisms with a similar appearance.
d. can hybridize with each other to produce infertile offspring.

9. One limitation of the morphological species concept is that _______________.

a. morphological characteristics are not easy to observe.

b. it cannot be applied to extinct organisms.
c. members of different species often appear quite different.
d. there can be morphological differences among individuals in a single
population.
10. How do you call the evolutionary history of a species?
a. diversity
b. interbreeding
c. phylogeny
d. species

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 Lesson Classification of Organism
2 Using the Hierarchical
Taxonomic System
The process of grouping and putting things in order is called classification.
This concept can be useful in your life, in your studies, and even in your home. For
instance, you may use a classification system to organize your things in their
appropriate places, like your shoes on a shelf and your clothes in a locker.

Moreover, classification is a skill that a person may practice for a lifetime.

There are approximately more than ten million different species of plants and animals
that exist on Earth. With this existing diversity of organisms, and more new organisms
being discovered each day, a system for organizing living things is more than what
society needs.

What is It

Classification of Living Things

Living organisms can be classified into groups depending on their shared

characteristics. Basically, living organisms within each group are divided into smaller
groups. These smaller groups are grounded on their detailed similarities from each
larger group. Thus, it makes scientists analyze and study groups of organisms because
of this grouping system. The main basis of this is the so-called characteristics such
as appearance, reproduction, mobility, and functionality. These specialized groups are
collectively called the classification of living things. There are seven levels of
classification of living things which include: kingdom, phylum, classes, order,
families, genus, and species.

The Hierarchical Taxonomic System of an Organism

Do you at any point thought about how a letter from abroad arrives at your
place in the midst of the large numbers of houses and many nations around you? The
solitary route by which the postal carrier could give you the letter is through the
location composed on the envelope.

After the sender's end, the postal workers arrange each letter to organize all
letters with a similar nation of objective. This means letters are arranged by country.
In this manner, letters set out toward the Philippines will be independently stuffed.
After arriving in the Philippines, a mail is once more arranged by territory and city
where further arranging will happen.
Each one of these degrees of arrangement intended to help the mailman
discover you effectively relate to the progressive level devised by Linnaeus. This
framework is arranged as follows:

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 Letter Linnaean System

Philippines Kingdom
Nueva Ecija Phylum
Science City of Muñoz Class
Matingkis Order
032 Family
Dela Cruz Genus
Maribeth Species
A Greek Philosopher namely Aristotle, classified
animals based on their habitat, characteristics, and many
more. After him, Carolus Linnaeus, a Swedish botanist in
traduced Taxonomic Hierarchy Categories way back 18 th
Century, we have tools that we are still using today because
of this system of classification. That is why he was
considered the Father of Modern Taxonomy.

The sequence of categories in increasing or decreasing order

is called Taxonomic hierarchy. In other words, it is an
Figure 1: Carolus Linnaeus ordered group of taxonomic ranks which classify living
Source: P. R. Vignéron, 1872 forms from general to specific. Consequently, each of these
levels of the hierarchy is called taxonomic category or
rank. In this method, the kingdom is always ranked as the
highest followed by division, class, order, family, genus,
and species.

Taxonomic Hierarchy Categories

Figure 2: Hierarchy of Biological Classification

Source: earth.com, 2018

The main purpose of the classification of organisms is to place them into an

existing group or even create a new group depending on their resemblances to and/or
differences from known forms. Through stepping down in classification, groups of
organisms can be more specific.
To enumerate, there are eight distinct taxonomic categories. These are Domain,
Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, and Species. With each step down in
classification, organisms are split into more and more specific groups. Domains refer
to the largest category that splits organisms into three groups. These three domains
of life are namely: Bacteria, Archaea and Eukarya
 Bacteria Domain (Regular Bacteria). All bacteria belong to the Domain Bacteria.
Domain Bacteria is made up of prokaryotes that usually have a cell wall and
reproduce by cell division. Prokaryotes are single-celled organisms that lack a
nucleus in their cells. Bacteria live in almost any environment - soil, water, and
even inside the human body.
 Archaea Domain (Ancient Bacteria). Archaea Domain is additionally composed of
prokaryotes. They vary from microorganisms in their hereditary qualities and the
composition of their cell dividers. Archaea live in stiff conditions, for example, hot

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 springs and warm vents, where different living things couldn't endure. Some
archaea are found in vast seas and soil.
 Eukarya Domain Organisms with a nucleus are considered to be eukaryotes.
These are made up of cells with the presence of a nucleus and membrane-bound
organelles. As compared to prokaryotes, cells of eukaryotes are more complex. To
sum it all up, Domain Eukarya is made up of all eukaryotes.

Figure 3: The Three Domains of Life

Kingdom

The divisions of subgroups have been under the level of classification called
"kingdom," and living things have been categorized into the following: Animalia;
Plantae; Fungi; Protista; and Monera.

Phylum (plural: Phyla)

This is more specific than the kingdom. Also, there are 35 phyla in the kingdom
Animalia. For Example – Porifera (sponges), Chordata, all organisms were having
dorsal nerve cords, Arthropoda (arthropods,) etc.
Class
This is considered to be the most general in the taxonomic hierarchy in the
absence of phyla. To consider, Kingdom Animalia comprises 108 classes, including
Mammalia (mammals), Reptilia (reptiles), Aves (birds), and the like. The classes utilized
in today’s education are dissimilar and most frequently used than the proposed classes
of Carolus Linnaeus in ancient times.
Order

This is a more specific rank than class. The order constitutes one or more than
one similar family. There are around 26 orders of Mammalia depending on how
organisms are classified such as Cetaceans (whales, dolphins), Carnivora (large
carnivores/omnivores), Chiroptera (bats)

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Family

This classification of ordered chain of importance incorporates different genera

that share a couple of similarities. E.g., the families, accordingly, Carnivora
incorporate Canidae (canines, wolves, foxes), Felidae (felines), Ursidae (bears), and so
on
Genus (plural: Genera)

This is a group that belongs to the same species. In line with this, the) terms
monotypic refers to some genera having only one species, while polytypic have more
than one species. (e.g., lion and tiger are placed under the genus Panthera.

It is more specific than family. It is also the first part of an organism’s scientific
name with the utility of the so-called binomial nomenclature. This is defined as a
two-part system of naming species; species are referred to by their genus name
followed by their species name.

Another is the species name. It is said that organisms’ scientific names are
italicized while the genus name is capitalized. However, the species name is not. In
relative to this, genus and species are the only taxonomic ranks that are italicized. The
scientific name for humans is Homo sapiens. Homo is the genus name, while sapiens
is the species name.
Species

This is the lowest but the most specific major taxonomic rank. These are
sometimes separated into subspecies. However, not all species have multiple forms
that are different enough to be called subspecies. For instance, Ursus americanus is
the American black bear, while Bufo americanus is the American toad. The species
name is always italicized, but never capitalized. In this case, species name is always
italicized, but never capitalized. Thus, it is the only taxonomic rank that is not
capitalized.

Figure 3: The Three Domains of Life

Source: https://www.pinterest.ph/

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 What’s More

Activity 1
Directions: Organize the seven levels of classification in their proper order. Write
your answers in your notebook/on a separate sheet of paper.

Species Kingdom Family Phylum Genus Order Class

1. _________________ 5. _________________

2. _________________ 6. _________________

3. _________________ 7. _________________
4. _________________

Activity 2
Directions: Examine the table showing the classification of four organisms. Then
answer the questions in your notebook/ on a separate sheet of paper.

TAXON HUMAN HOUSE CAT DOMESTIC DOG MOUNTAIN LION

Kingdom Animalia Animalia Animalia Animalia
Phylum Chordata Chordata Chordata Chordata
Class Mammalia Mammalia Mammalia Mammalia
Order Primates Carnivora Carnivora Carnivora
Family Hominidae Felidae Canidae Felidae
Genus Homo Felis Canis Felis
Species sapiens domesticus familiaris concolor

1. Which two organisms are most closely related? __________________________________

2. What three taxa do all four organisms have in common? _________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

3.Which taxon includes organisms that have hair or fur and produce milk?
__________________________________________________________________________________
4. Which taxon includes animals with backbones? ________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

5. Write the scientific name for each of the organisms above. _______________________
___________________________________________________________________________________

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 What I Have Learned

 The Father of Modern Taxonomy is considered to be Carolus Linnaeus. He

developed the hierarchical system that groups organisms based on common
physical characteristics.
 There are three domains, namely, Bacteria and Eukarya. The six kingdoms are
Archaebacteria, Eubacteria, Protista, Fungi, Plantae, and Animalia
 The grouping and ordering of organisms is called classification.
 Domain is the highest category of life.
 The levels of classification include the kingdom, phylum, class, order, family,
genus, and species.
The basic unit of classification is species.

Answer Key

Lesson 1
10. C
9. B SPECIES DIVERSITY 5.
8. C COMMUNITY 4.
7. A
POPULATION 3.
6. D
5. A SPECIES 2.
4. D BIODIVERSITY 1.
3. A
2. C
1. A What’s In
Assessment

Lesson 2

7. Kingdom Canis familiaris, Felis concolor

5. Homo sapien, Felis domesticus,
6. Phylum
4. Chordata
5. Class 3. Mammalia
2. Kingdom, Phylum and Class
4. Order 1. House Cat and Mountain Lion
ACT 2
3. Family
7. Kingdom
2. Genus 4. Order 5. Class 6. Phylum
1. Species 2. Genus 3. Family
1. Species
ACT 1
What’s More
What’s More

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