Chasing after Caminalcules

Classification, Evolution, and the Scientific Method

Home / Step 1: Taxonomy

Step 1: Taxonomy

Currently, 14 living species of Caminalcules are known. These species are represented in the Living Caminalcules document. Each species is identified by a number.

Your Task

Arrange the living Caminalcules into a hierarchical classification, following the principles of taxonomy.

Task 1: Build Your Classification

Work in teams of 3-4 people:

  1. Print the Living Caminalcules document and cut out the different species
  2. Make sure not to cut the numbers identifying them
  3. Combine species into genera using criteria that members of a genus should resemble each other more closely than they resemble members of other genera
  4. Using the same criteria, combine genera into families, families into orders, and so on
  5. Give each species, genus, family, or order appropriate names related to their characteristics
  6. Construct a table with your results

Task 2: Class Discussion

Present your results to the rest of the class. Justify your results using the following vocabulary:

  • "It's/It has ... similar to / different from ..."
  • "... because ..."
  • "... as a consequence ..."
  • "... together with / separated from ..."

Get an agreement for the classification of living Caminalcules.

From this agreement, draw a tentative phylogenetic tree, taking into account that members of the same genus will share a common ancestor not shared by other genera.

Documents