Q5. Which is written correctly: (a) Musca Domestica, (b) musca domestica, (c) Musca domestica, (d) Musca domestica?
(c). The genus starts with a capital letter, the specific epithet with a small letter, and both words are in italics.
Q6. Name the four processes that NCERT calls basic to taxonomy.
Characterisation, identification, classification and nomenclature (NCERT page 5).
Q7. Who gave the binomial system, and what does “Linn.” at the end of Mangifera indica Linn. tell us?
Carolus Linnaeus. “Linn.” is the abbreviated author: this species was first described by Linnaeus (NCERT pages 4–5).
Q8. Why are local names not enough for scientific work?
Local names vary from place to place, even within a country, so people could mean different organisms by one name. An accepted scientific name provides a standard reference under its nomenclatural code; local names vary, while synonyms and later changes to accepted names can still occur.
Q9. What different criteria would you choose to classify people that you meet often (NCERT Exercise Q3)?
Any easily observable characters can be used, for example age group, the place you meet them (school, home, neighbourhood) or how you know them (family, friends, teachers). This is classification in NCERT’s sense: grouping into convenient categories based on easily observable characters.
Q10. What do we learn from the identification of individuals and populations (NCERT Exercise Q4)?
Identification tells us exactly which organism we have, so that the correct name is attached to it. Comparing the characters of individuals and populations also shows their similarities and differences, which is the basis for placing them in taxa.
Q11. Assertion: taxonomy is not something new. Reason: the earliest classifications were based on the uses of organisms. Are both true, and does the reason explain the assertion?
Both are true, and the reason explains the assertion: people classified organisms by their use for food, clothing and shelter long before modern taxonomy (NCERT page 5).
Q12. Why are classification systems changing every now and then (NCERT Exercise Q2)?
New organisms are continuously being identified (NCERT page 4). Modern taxonomy also uses structure, cells, development and ecology (page 5), and systematics takes evolutionary relationships into account (page 6). As knowledge grows, groupings are revised.
Q13. About how many species are known and described, and why is this not a final number?
NCERT cites about 1.7–1.8 million; this is its textbook figure, not a current census. New organisms are continuously being identified as we explore new areas, and even old ones (NCERT pages 3–4).