Sample 1Easy
In the scientific name of mango, Mangifera indica, the word 'indica' represents the
- A
genus
- B
specific epithet
- C
family
- D
order
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The answer is B.In binomial nomenclature each name has two components, the generic name and the specific epithet. In Mangifera indica, Mangifera is the genus and indica is the specific epithet.
- A.
Mangifera, the first word, is the genus.
- C.
The family of mango is Anacardiaceae, which is not part of the binomial name.
- D.
An order is a higher category and never appears in a binomial name.
NCERT: Class 11 Biology, Chapter 1 (The Living World), Diversity in the Living World
Sample 2Medium
A figure shows a vertical ladder of the seven obligate taxonomic categories for the housefly, with Species on the bottom rung and Kingdom on the top rung. The four rungs between them are labelled, going upwards: A (just above Species), B (above A), C (above B) and D (the rung just below Kingdom, above the Class rung). Which taxon occupies rung C?
- A
Diptera
- B
Muscidae
- C
Insecta
- D
Arthropoda
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The answer is A.Going up from Species the categories are Genus (A, Musca), Family (B, Muscidae), Order (C, Diptera), Class (Insecta) and Phylum (D, Arthropoda). Rung C is therefore the order Diptera.
- B.
Muscidae is the family of the housefly, which sits on rung B, two rungs above Species.
- C.
Insecta is the class, the rung between C and D, not rung C itself.
- D.
Arthropoda is the phylum, which occupies rung D just below Kingdom.
NCERT: Class 11 Biology, Chapter 1
Sample 3NEET level
Consider the following statements about binomial nomenclature: I. Biological names are generally in Latin and written in italics. II. The first word in a biological name represents the genus and the second the specific epithet. III. Both words in a biological name, when handwritten, begin with a capital letter. IV. The name of the author appears after the specific epithet, in an abbreviated form. Which of the statements above are correct?
- A
I, II and III only
- B
I, II and IV only
- C
II, III and IV only
- D
I and III only
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The answer is B.Names are Latinised, italicised, with the genus first and the specific epithet second; the author's name is written after the epithet in abbreviated form (Mangifera indica Linn.). Statement III is wrong because the genus starts with a capital letter while the specific epithet starts with a small letter.
- A.
Includes III, which is wrong: the specific epithet starts with a small letter.
- C.
Includes III and leaves out I, which is correct.
- D.
Leaves out II and IV, both correct, and includes the wrong III.
NCERT: Class 11 Biology, Chapter 1 (The Living World), Taxonomic Categories / binomial nomenclature