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A starfish is not a fish, a cuttlefish is not a fish, and the insects called white ants are…
Contributed by StemPy LabTry it on paper first. A hint, the key idea and the worked solution are here when you need them.
A starfish is not a fish, a cuttlefish is not a fish, and the insects called white ants are termites, not ants. Why do such names trouble a biologist, and how does the scientific name help?
Need a reminder? The key ideaShow
About to million species are known and described. Biodiversity is the number and variety of organisms. Common names change with the place and the language, and they can mislead, so each organism needs one scientific name used everywhere.
The worked solution
Have you tried it?
Work it out on paper first. It is fine to get stuck or make a mistake: that is how we learn. When you are ready, go through the solution one step at a time, and check each step against your own.
Step 1. The trouble. The names suggest the wrong group. A starfish is an echinoderm, a cuttlefish is a mollusc, and a white ant is a termite.
Step 2. The help. A scientific name is one name per species, the same everywhere, and its genus places the organism in its true group.
Answer: common names can mislead; the scientific name is exact and shows the group.
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