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A biologist collects an unfamiliar insect in the field and reaches for a biological key. What is the key for?
APreserving the specimen for storage
BMeasuring the specimen's exact mass
CIdentifying the specimen by its features
DCounting how many of them exist
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: C. Identifying the specimen by its features
1. A biological key is an identification tool, not a measuring or preserving one.
2. It works through the specimen's observable features, step by step.
3. At each step the user picks the statement that is true of the specimen in hand.
4. Following that chain of true statements eventually arrives at the organism's name.
5. This lets a biologist name an organism without already knowing what it is, which is exactly why keys are needed.
_Source: NECTA ACSEE 2022 Biology 133/1, Question 2: Principles of Classification_