Selina Concise Solutions for ICSE Class 9 Biology Chapter 8 Five Kingdom Classification

Exercise 1

Question A:
Answer: 1. (d) vertebrates and invertebrates
2. (d) Bat, Parrot, Oyster - Vertebrates
3. (c) Rana tigrina
4. (d) Mule is neither a donkey nor a horse.
These classifications help us group animals based on the presence or absence of a backbone. Understanding these differences is the foundation of animal biology.
Teacher's Tip: Remember "Vertebrate" sounds like "Vertical" - animals that stand tall with a spine.
Exam Tip: When answering multiple-choice questions, write the full text of the option, not just the letter.

Question B.1:
Answer: Carolus Linnaeus had introduced the binomial system of naming living beings.
This system gives every organism a two-part name consisting of its Genus and Species. It acts like a first name and a last name for every creature on Earth.
Teacher's Tip: Think of "Binomial" as "Bi" (two) and "Nomial" (names).
Exam Tip: Underline the two parts of a scientific name if writing it by hand in an exam.

Question B.2:
Answer: The two characters common to dog, humans, squirrel, bat, camel and monkey are:
(c ) external ears
(d) give birth to young ones
These specific traits are markers of the class Mammalia, which includes animals that have fur and nurse their young. Even though bats fly and humans walk, we share these core biological features.
Teacher's Tip: If it has ears you can see and drinks its mother's milk, it's likely a mammal.
Exam Tip: Always provide two distinct characteristics when asked for common traits between different species.

Question B.3:
Answer: Column I | Column II
1. Pine | (iv) Gymnosperm, (v) Plantae
2. Earthworm | (vi) Animalia
3. Bread mould | (i) Fungi
4. Amoeba | (vii) Protista
5. Moss | (v) Plantae, (viii) Bryophyta
6. Bacteria | (ii) Monera, (iii) Prokaryote
This exercise shows which kingdom and subgroup various living things belong to based on their cell structure. For instance, bacteria are placed in Kingdom Monera because they are simple prokaryotes without a nucleus.
Teacher's Tip: "Pine" trees are "Gymnosperms" because their seeds are naked, like they are going to the "Gym."
Exam Tip: In matching columns, rewrite the correct pairs side-by-side rather than drawing lines.

Question C.1:
Answer: Phylum -> Class -> Order -> Family -> Genus -> Species
This hierarchy moves from broad groups to very specific individual kinds of organisms. As you move down the list, the organisms share more and more characteristics.
Teacher's Tip: Use the sentence "Please Come Over For Great Soup" to remember the order.
Exam Tip: Ensure the arrows point from the largest group to the smallest group for accuracy.

Question C.2:
Answer: Man | Domestic cat | Peepal tree
Homo sapiens | Felis domesticus | Ficus religiosa
These scientific names are written in Latin so that scientists everywhere use the same word for the same living thing. Homo sapiens always refers to humans, no matter what language is spoken locally.
Teacher's Tip: Scientific names are always Italicized in print or Underlined in writing.
Exam Tip: Capitalize only the first letter of the Genus name and keep the Species name in lowercase.

Question C.3:
Answer: In science, people from different countries with different languages have to read about each others research. So, it was necessary to eliminate any possible confusion created by local names. Scientific names are based on certain rules which are universal. They are unique and can be used to identify an organism anywhere around the world. That is why, scientific names of living beings are considered better than their common names.
Common names can be confusing because the same animal might be called different things in different regions. Scientific names provide a universal standard that eliminates this confusion across all scientific research.
Teacher's Tip: Common names are like nicknames, but scientific names are like your legal ID name.
Exam Tip: Mention the word "universal" to explain why scientific names are preferred.

Question C.4:
Answer: According to the ‘Two-Kingdom Classification’, proposed by Carolus Linnaeus in 1758, living organisms were classified into two broad kingdoms, Plants and Animals.
The drawbacks in classifying organisms under the old two kingdom classification are:
1. Bacteria were kept in Kingdom Plantae. These organisms have no chlorophyll and do not carry out photosynthesis. Bacteria do not have a definite nucleus nor a nuclear membrane nor chromosomes.
2. Fungi were kept in Kingdom Plantae. Bread mould is a multicellular fungi. However, it does not possess roots, stem and leaves, lacks chlorophyll and does bear any flowers, fruits and seeds like plants.
The old system was too simple because it tried to fit everything into just "plants" or "animals." Modern scientists realized that bacteria and fungi are so unique that they needed their own separate kingdoms.
Teacher's Tip: Fungi were once called plants, but they can't make food, so they are actually closer to us!
Exam Tip: Focus on the lack of "chlorophyll" as the main reason why fungi were removed from the plant kingdom.

Question C.5:
Answer: Species means an organism of a particular kind whose members can interbreed among themselves to produce fertile young ones. All humans on the earth today may differ widely in their facial features, colour, height, etc. Yet, they belong to a single species Homo sapiens because they can interbreed among themselves and produce a normal offpsring.
Even though people look different from one another, we are all the same species because we can have healthy children together. This ability to interbreed is the primary rule used to define a species.
Teacher's Tip: A "Species" is a "Specific" group that sticks together to make babies.
Exam Tip: Use the word "fertile" when describing the offspring to get full marks.

Question C.6:
Answer: Ficus religiosa (Peepal)
Zea mays (Maize)
Bombyx mori (Silkmoth)
These three examples show how everything from a massive tree to a tiny moth has a specific two-part name. Learning these helps in identifying the exact organism being discussed in a study.
Teacher's Tip: Zea mays sounds like "Maize" if you say it quickly!
Exam Tip: Remember that the first word is the Genus and the second word is the Species.

Question C.7:
Answer: The five kingdoms according to the new classification are:
1. Kingdom Monera
2. Kingdom Protista
3. Kingdom Fungi
4. Kingdom Plantae
5. Kingdom Animalia
This modern system organizes all life based on cell type and how they get their energy. It is the most widely accepted way to view the tree of life today.
Teacher's Tip: Use the acronym "M-P-F-P-A" or "My Purple Fish Plays Alone."
Exam Tip: Memorize the kingdoms in order of complexity, starting with Monera (simplest).

Question C.8:
Answer: (a) Animals with a backbone: Vertebrata
(b) Animals with a hairy skin: Mammalia
(c ) Animals with three pairs of legs: Insecta
(d) Animals with feathers: Aves
These terms are names of specific sub-groups within the animal kingdom. For example, birds are called "Aves," which is where we get the word "aviation" (flying).
Teacher's Tip: "Vertebrata" sounds like "backbone" if you think of the individual bones called vertebrae.
Exam Tip: Be sure to match the characteristic (like feathers) to the correct class (Aves).

Question C.9:
Answer: Invertebrate animals:
1. Housefly
2. Silverfish
3. Jellyfish
4. Sponge
Invertebrates make up the vast majority of all animal life on our planet. They lack a bony internal skeleton but often have other ways to stay strong, like a hard outer shell.
Teacher's Tip: "In-" means "No" - so Invertebrates have "No backbone."
Exam Tip: Don't let names like "Silverfish" trick you; it's an insect, not a vertebrate fish!

Question C.10:
Answer:
(a) Protozoa and Metazoa
Protozoa: Unicellular organisms
Metazoa: Multi-cellular organisms

(b) Vertebrate and Invertebrate
Vertebrates: Have their unique backbone with the spinal cord
Invertebrates: Do not have a backbone

(c) Insecta and Arachnida
Insecta: Have three pairs of legs
Arachnida: Have four pairs of legs

(d) Flatworm and Roundworm
Flatworm: Dorso-ventrally flattened
Roundworm: Cylindrical in shape and are tapered at both ends
Comparing these groups helps scientists see the evolution of body structures over time. For instance, the move from unicellular Protozoa to multicellular Metazoa was a huge step in the history of life.
Teacher's Tip: Insects have 6 legs (3 pairs), but Spiders (Arachnids) have 8 legs (4 pairs).
Exam Tip: For comparison questions, always state the difference for both sides to get full marks.

Question C.11:
Answer: (i) Amoeba - Nucleus, tentacle, food vacuole
(ii) Hydra - Invertebrata, Cnidaria, Crustacea
(iii) Fish - Gills, paired fins, ear drum
(iv) Earthworm - Invertebrata, Annelida, Insecta
(v) Grasshopper - Wings, trachea, proboscis
(vi) Butterfly - Insecta, Invertebrata, Mollusca
(vii) Whale - Gills, mammary glands, fat under the skin
(viii) Pigeon - Feathers, wings, hair
(ix) Monkey - External ear, sweat glands, lateral line
(x) Bat - Aves, Mammalia, Chordata
This section highlights specific body parts or classifications for common organisms. For example, mammals like whales have mammary glands to feed their young, even though they live in the ocean.
Teacher's Tip: Remember that a Whale is a mammal, so it has fat (blubber) to keep warm in cold water.
Exam Tip: Use commas to separate multiple characteristics for a single organism.

Question C.12:
Answer: Cold-blooded animals | Warm-blooded animals
These animals cannot maintain their body temperature. Their body temperature is regulated by the external environment. | Animals whose body temperature is kept relatively constant by internal mechanisms.
E.g. Insects, Amphibians | E.g. Birds, Mammals
Cold-blooded animals like frogs need the sun to warm up, while warm-blooded animals like us can stay active even in the cold. This difference determines where an animal can survive and how much it needs to eat.
Teacher's Tip: Warm-blooded = Inner Heater; Cold-blooded = Outer Sun-soaker.
Exam Tip: Always provide a clear example for each type of temperature regulation.

Question C.13:
Answer: 1. Class Amphibia: Tree frog
2. Class Reptilia: Cobra
3. Class Aves: Duck
These three groups of vertebrates have very different lifestyles and habitats. Amphibians need water to lay eggs, but reptiles and birds have eggs that can survive on dry land.
Teacher's Tip: "Amphi" means "both" - amphibians live both on land and in water.
Exam Tip: Capitalize the names of Classes like Amphibia and Reptilia.

Question D.1:
Answer:
(a) Insects and Birds
Similarity: Have wings
Difference: Insects are Invertebrates, Birds are Vertebrates

(b) Whales and Fishes
Similarity: Aquatic
Difference: Whales have lungs for breathing, Fishes have gills for breathing

(c) Snakes and Earthworms
Similarity: Do not have any limbs
Difference: Snakes are Vertebrates, Earthworms are Invertebrates

(d) Bat and Pigeon
Similarity: Breathe through lungs
Difference: Bat has external ears, Pigeon has internal ears

(e) Cuttlefish and Dogfish
Similarity: Marine animals
Difference: Cuttlefish are Invertebrates, Dogfish are Vertebrates

(f) Wall lizard and Frog
Similarity: Cold-blooded animals
Difference: Wall lizard is completely adapted to life on land, Frog lives partly on land and partly in water
These comparisons show that animals can look similar (like having wings) but be completely different types of organisms. This helps us understand how different body systems are adapted for specific environments.
Teacher's Tip: "Aquatic" just means they both love the water!
Exam Tip: State the similarity clearly before listing the differences to provide a complete answer.

Question D.2:
Answer:
Column I | Column II
Annelida | Earthworm
Porifera | Sponge
Mollusca | Octopus
Reptilia | Snake
Pisces | Trout
Mammal | Rabbit
Amphibia from Column I and Pigeon from column II are left out. They do not match as Pigeon comes under Class Aves and not Class Amphibia.
This exercise tests your ability to match animal groups with a specific member. It also reminds us that classification is very strict; a pigeon cannot be an amphibian because it has feathers and lays hard-shelled eggs.
Teacher's Tip: An Octopus is a "Mollusc" because it has a "Soft" body.
Exam Tip: Always check if any items are left over in matching tasks and explain why they don't fit.

Question E:
Answer: No, it is not a relative of Kangaroo as Kangaroo is a mammal and Tyrannosaurus is a reptile.
Characteristics of Tyrannosaurus:
1. Body has scales which may be horny
2. Lays eggs which have a leathery shell
3. One of the dinosaurs which moved on the earth. These ruled the earth. Some were vegetarian, others were non-vegetarian. Archaeopteryx is a link between reptiles and birds. Its fossils have been found, which vanished from the earth due to ice-age.
4. Had three-chambered heart as ventricles are partially divided
5. Cold-blooded animals
Even though Tyrannosaurus stood on two legs like a kangaroo, its biology was that of a reptile. It had scales and laid leathery eggs, which are very different from the fur and pouch of a mammal.
Teacher's Tip: "Saurus" means "Lizard" - so T-Rex is a "Tyrant Lizard," not a hopping mammal.
Exam Tip: Mention at least three specific reptilian traits (like scales or leathery eggs) to support your argument.