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Class 11 | CBSE | BIOLOGY
1.2 TAXONOMIC CATEGORIES

BOARD-PATTERN SHORT & LONG ANSWER QUESTIONS WITH FULL-MARK ANSWERS 

Class 11 Biology – Chapter 1 | 1.2 TAXONOMIC CATEGORIES

(Prepared from 1.2 Taxonomic Categories, exam-ready, NCERT-aligned, NEP compliant)

1.2 TAXONOMIC CATEGORIES

SHORT & LONG ANSWERS (WITH FULL-MARK CONTENT)

A. VERY SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS (1 MARK)

1. What is meant by a taxon?

A taxon is a unit of classification at any level of the taxonomic hierarchy such as species, genus, family, etc.

2. Which is the basic unit of classification?

Species is the basic and lowest unit of biological classification.

3. Name the highest taxonomic category.

The Kingdom is the highest taxonomic category.

4. What is the plural of taxon?

The plural of taxon is taxa.

5. What is used instead of phylum in plant classification?

The term Division is used instead of phylum in plants.

B. SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS – I (2 MARKS)

1. Define taxonomic hierarchy.

Taxonomic hierarchy is the arrangement of taxonomic categories in a definite ascending order from species to kingdom, based on similarities and differences among organisms.

2. Why are taxonomic categories called hierarchical?

Taxonomic categories are hierarchical because each higher category includes one or more lower categories, and similarities decrease as we move upward in the hierarchy.

3. What is a species? Give one example.

A species is a group of organisms with fundamental similarities that can be distinguished from other species based on morphological characters.
Example: Homo sapiens

4. Write the correct sequence of taxonomic categories.

Species → Genus → Family → Order → Class → Phylum/Division → Kingdom

5. What is the main basis of modern taxonomic studies?

Modern taxonomy is based on:

• External and internal structure

• Cell structure

• Developmental processes

• Ecological information

C. SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS – II (3 MARKS)

1. Differentiate between genus and species.

Genus	Species
Group of related species	Group of similar individuals
Higher taxonomic rank	Lowest taxonomic rank
Example: Panthera	Example: Panthera Leo

2. Explain the category ‘Family’ with examples.

Family is a taxonomic category that includes related genera sharing some common characters.
Example:

• Solanaceae includes Solanum, Petunia, Datura

• Felidae includes Panthera and Felis

3. Why do similarities decrease as we move up the taxonomic hierarchy?

As we move up the hierarchy, organisms are grouped based on fewer common characters, resulting in greater diversity and less similarity among members.

D. LONG ANSWER QUESTIONS (5 MARKS)

1. Explain the taxonomic hierarchy with suitable examples.

Taxonomic hierarchy is the systematic arrangement of organisms into successive levels of classification based on shared characteristics. The hierarchy includes:

1. Species – Basic unit; organisms with maximum similarities
   Example: Homo sapiens

2. Genus – Group of related species
   Example: Panthera (lion, tiger)

3. Family – Group of related genera
   Example: Felidae

4. Order – Group of related families
   Example: Carnivora

5. Class – Group of related orders
   Example: Mammalia

6. Phylum/Division – Group of related classes
   Example: Chordata

7. Kingdom – Highest taxonomic category
   Example: Animalia

As we move from species to kingdom, common characteristics decrease and complexity of classification increases.

2. Describe species as a taxonomic category.

Species is the fundamental and lowest taxonomic category. It consists of a group of organisms that:

• Share fundamental similarities

• Are distinct morphologically from other species

• Represent a real biological unit

Examples:

• Mangifera indica (mango)

• Solanum tuberosum (potato)

• Panthera leo (lion)

Thus, species forms the foundation of biological classification.

3. Explain why classification becomes more complex at higher taxonomic categories.

At higher taxonomic categories:

• The number of shared characters decreases

• Organisms show greater diversity

• Relationships become less obvious

Therefore, identifying similarities and placing organisms accurately becomes more complex and challenging, making higher-level classification difficult.

4. Distinguish between lower and higher taxonomic categories.

Lower Categories	Higher Categories
More similarities	Fewer similarities
Less diversity	More diversity
Example: species, Genus	Example: Class, Kingdom

EXAM TIP (VERY IMPORTANT)

📌 Species → Most similarities → Basic unit
📌 Kingdom → Least similarities → Highest rank
📌 Plants use Division, animals use Phylum

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