

This activity is part of our Engineering in the Classroom tool for educators.See the materials list for Spanish resources related to this activity.

The keys in Wikibooks are still under development. Chimaera: Upper jaws are fused with skull has separate anal and urogenital openings Only three pairs of large, permanent grinding tooth plates Has a gill covering similar to that of bony fishes.Shark: Upper jaws not fused to skull Has only one anal/urogenital opening Has many sharp, replaceable teeth Gill covering absent.What kind of fish is it? (Osteichthyes): Actinopterygii & Sarcopterygii, but also lampreys (Myxini) and hagfish (Petromyzontida) Scorpion (Scorpiones), also Palpigradi, Amblypygi, Solifugae, Thelyphonida, Schizomida, and maybe Pseudoscorpionida just in case.Shrimp (Dendrobranchiata & Caridea), also Cumacea, Stomatopoda, and Stenopodidea (just in case).Lobster or Crayfish (Astacidea) also achelata.Crab (Brachyura) also anomural (hermit crabs).If the description and other information satisfactorily confer, then a correct identification is possible.ĭoes it live underwater or mostly underwater? The habitat and location where the sample was collected is useful for plants.
#Dichotomous key verification#
Finally, a verification step is important by comparing the specimen with any further details available including description,photographs and other reference. If the description at each level does not appear accurate then back up to some earlier couplet and start over, questioning each decision more carefully.

This key uses hyperlinks to navigate.Ĭlassification with keys On selecting one, the reader is presented with the next couplet choice in the key and so on - to eventually arrive at an identification. For example, 'it is either red or it isn't'. The statements should be mutually exclusive for the key to work efficiently. For convenience, there may be polytomous sections within the book.Ī written dichotomous key presents the reader with two statements that describe certain characteristics. The method adopted uses mostly a dichotomous key based on two choices, which is either in written format or pictographic, or both. This e-book can help with the identification of unknown organisms or species.
