Answer:
C. Shared characteristics
Step-by-step explanation:
Generally, living organisms are classified into groups based on their characteristics. Organisms that possess same or similar characteristics are grouped together while those that possess different characteristics are grouped separately.
Classification of living organisms include seven (7) levels of organization namely: kingdom, phylum, classes, order, families, genus, and species. Kingdom represent the MOST INCLUSIVE while species represent the MOST EXCLUSIVE i.e. contains the fewest members considering the fact that organisms with the most shared characteristics are grouped as species.