
Species Relatedness Through Taxonomy
Easy
Can a flamingo and a shrimp share a branch on the tree of life?
Visit a zoo, botanical garden, or nursery and pick three species that interest you. Record both the common and scientific name for each one. Then research their full taxonomy (the classification system scientists use to group living things): kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, and genus.
Compare the rankings side by side. The level where two species first share the same group shows how closely they are related. You may be surprised by which ones have more in common than they look.
Hypothesis
The hypothesis is that two animals can be compared to find out if they have a common ancestor.
Method & Materials
You will visit a zoo, oceanarium, pet store, nursery, or botanical garden to select three different species. You will take a photograph or make a drawing of each species and research their taxonomy. You will compare the taxonomy of the two animals to find out if they have a common ancestor.
You will need internet access, a camera, a journal and writing instrument, scratch paper, and posterboard.
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See what’s includedResults
After comparing the taxonomy of the two animals, you will be able to determine if they have a common ancestor. This project will help you understand how different animals are related.
Why do this project?
This science project is interesting and unique because it allows you to explore the relationship between two animals and discover if they have a common ancestor.
Also Consider
Variations of this project could include comparing the taxonomy of two plants or comparing the taxonomy of three animals.
Full project details
Additional information and source material for this project are available below.Related videos
These videos explain the science behind this project and demonstrate key concepts used in the experiment.
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