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Living world, biodiversity, classification, taxonomy, species hierarchy and nomenclature: NEET MCQs with answers

89 questions on this topic of Diversity in Living World (NEET 2027 syllabus). Here are 12; tap one to see its answer and explanation.

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easy

1. Which of the following biological processes occurs in all living organisms without exception, yet cannot be demonstrated in any non-living object?

  1. Metabolism
  2. Self-consciousness
  3. Locomotion
  4. Sexual reproduction
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Answer: (A) Metabolism

Metabolism is the sum total of all chemical reactions occurring in a living body. While non-living objects do not exhibit metabolism, all living organisms, from single-celled microbes to complex multicellular organisms, display metabolic activities, making it an absolute defining feature.

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2. Consider the following four taxa: (i) Solanaceae (ii) Polymoniales (iii) Datura (iv) Plantae Select the option that correctly arranges these taxa in descending order of their taxonomic categories.

  1. Plantae → Polymoniales → Solanaceae → Datura
  2. Plantae → Solanaceae → Polymoniales → Datura
  3. Datura → Solanaceae → Polymoniales → Plantae
  4. Polymoniales → Plantae → Solanaceae → Datura
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Answer: (A) Plantae → Polymoniales → Solanaceae → Datura

The hierarchy in descending order is Kingdom (Plantae) → Order (Polymoniales) → Family (Solanaceae) → Genus (Datura).

hard

3. Read the following statements regarding taxonomic ranks and categories: (a) Convolvulaceae and Solanaceae are placed in the order Polymoniales mainly based on floral characters. (b) Order Carnivora includes families like Felidae and Canidae. (c) Panthera pardus and Felis catus share common traits at the family level. (d) Plants belonging to the same order share more common features than plants belonging to the same genus. Which of the above statements are correct?

  1. (a), (b) and (d) only
  2. (a), (b) and (c) only
  3. (b), (c) and (d) only
  4. (a) and (c) only
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Answer: (B) (a), (b) and (c) only

Statements (a), (b), and (c) are factual and correct according to NCERT. Statement (d) is incorrect because organisms belonging to the same genus share more common characters than those placed in higher categories like order.

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4. The correct ascending order of taxonomic categories is:

  1. Species → family → genus → order → class → kingdom
  2. Species → genus → family → order → class → phylum/division → kingdom
  3. Genus → species → order → family → class → kingdom
  4. Kingdom → phylum → class → order → family → genus → species
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Answer: (B) Species → genus → family → order → class → phylum/division → kingdom

Taxonomic categories in ascending order: species, genus, family, order, class, phylum (division for plants) and kingdom.

easy

5. Budding is a common mode of asexual reproduction in:

  1. Spirogyra
  2. Humans
  3. Yeast and Hydra
  4. Planaria
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Answer: (C) Yeast and Hydra

Yeast and Hydra reproduce asexually by budding. In Planaria a fragmented organism regenerates the lost part and becomes a new organism (true regeneration).

NCERT Class 11

hard

6. A student studies four taxa: Diptera, Arthropoda, Insecta, and Musca. If arranged in ascending order (lowest rank to highest rank), which of the following represents the correct sequence?

  1. Musca → Insecta → Diptera → Arthropoda
  2. Diptera → Musca → Insecta → Arthropoda
  3. Arthropoda → Insecta → Diptera → Musca
  4. Musca → Diptera → Insecta → Arthropoda
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Answer: (D) Musca → Diptera → Insecta → Arthropoda

Musca is a genus; Diptera is an order; Insecta is a class; Arthropoda is a phylum. Ascending order means from lowest rank to highest rank: Genus (Musca) → Order (Diptera) → Class (Insecta) → Phylum (Arthropoda).

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7. The processes of characterisation, identification, classification and nomenclature are basic to:

  1. Ecology
  2. Taxonomy
  3. Physiology
  4. Genetics
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Answer: (B) Taxonomy

Taxonomy includes characterisation, identification, classification and nomenclature of organisms.

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8. Lion (Panthera leo), tiger (Panthera tigris) and leopard (Panthera pardus) are placed in the same:

  1. Family only, not genus
  2. Species
  3. Genus
  4. Kingdom only
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Answer: (C) Genus

These three species share the genus Panthera; the cat (Felis domestica) is in a different genus of the same family, Felidae.

hard

9. A taxonomist discovers a new flowering plant that shares several floral morphological characters with both Petunia and Nicotiana. To which family and order will this plant most likely be assigned?

  1. Family Convolvulaceae and Order Sapindales
  2. Family Solanaceae and Order Polymoniales
  3. Family Poaceae and Order Poales
  4. Family Fabaceae and Order Rosales
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Answer: (B) Family Solanaceae and Order Polymoniales

Petunia and Nicotiana are genera belonging to the family Solanaceae. Plant families like Solanaceae and Convolvulaceae are placed together in the order Polymoniales mainly based on floral characteristics.

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10. Consider the following taxonomic entities: 1. Solanum tuberosum 2. Solanum melongena 3. Solanum nigrum 4. Panthera leo How many distinct genera and species are represented respectively in the list above?

  1. 2 genera and 3 species
  2. 4 genera and 4 species
  3. 1 genus and 4 species
  4. 2 genera and 4 species
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Answer: (D) 2 genera and 4 species

There are 2 distinct genera: Solanum and Panthera. There are 4 distinct species (specific epithets): tuberosum, melongena, nigrum, and leo.

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11. Read the following statements regarding taxonomic ranks and identify the correct statement:

  1. As we go higher from species to kingdom, the number of common characteristics goes on increasing.
  2. A given taxonomic category cannot contain more than one distinct taxon at the immediate lower level.
  3. Classes including related orders are placed in higher category called Phylum in plants.
  4. Order and other higher taxonomic categories are identified generally based on the aggregates of characters.
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Answer: (D) Order and other higher taxonomic categories are identified generally based on the aggregates of characters.

NCERT states that order and higher taxonomic categories are identified based on the aggregates of characters rather than just vegetative or floral traits alone. In plants, the category corresponding to phylum is Division.

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12. In the name 'Mangifera indica Linn.', 'Linn.' indicates:

  1. The country of origin
  2. The family
  3. The order
  4. The author who first described the species (Linnaeus), written in abbreviated form after the specific epithet
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Answer: (D) The author who first described the species (Linnaeus), written in abbreviated form after the specific epithet

The name of the author appears after the specific epithet, at the end of the biological name, in abbreviated form.

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