Question

Phenetic classification of organisms is based on
A) Observable characteristics of existing organisms
B) The ancestral lineage of existing organisms
C) Dendrogram based on DNA characteristics
D) Sexual characteristics

Answer 1

The word phonetic has been taken from a Greek word phainein, which exactly means ‘to appear.' Phenetic classification of organisms is performed on the basis of measurable similarities and differences.

Complete answer:
Taximetrics is the other one such name of phenetic classification. Phenetic classification is defined as a part of numerical taxonomy, which is concerned with the use of numerical methods for taxonomic classification. Peter Sneath and Robert R. Sokal have a great role in developing such a method of classification.

Now let us find solution from given options
A) Observable characteristics of existing organisms : Phenetic classification is dependent on observable characteristics of an existing organism. The observable characteristics is defined as the morphology or other observable traits, regardless of their phylogeny or evolutionary relation.
B) The ancestral lineage of existing organisms:- The word cladistics " has been taken from the Greek word "branch". It is a method of biological classification in which organisms are divided in groups ("clades") based on the most recent common ancestor or ancestral lineage.
C) Dendrogram based on DNA characteristics : A dendrogram is defined as a diagram that represents a
tree showing the correlation. In the field of computational biology, it gives information about the clustering genes or samples
D) Sexual characteristics : The word taxonomy is taken from a Greek word 'taxis', meaning
'arrangement', and 'nomia', meaning ‘method.' It is the scientific study of naming, defining (circumscribing), and classifying groups of biological organisms that is based on shared and sexual characteristics.

Hence the correct answer is option ‘A’ i.e, Observable characteristics of existing organisms.

Note: Phonetic techniques mainly constitutes various forms of clustering (grouping in such a way that the organism in the same group is similar to those in other groups) and ordination (characterized by values on multiple variables so that similar objects are near each other and also dissimilar ones.