Biological Classification

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Biological Classification
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Why classify?

• Humans have developed classification systems in
  order to make sense of the abundant biological
  diversity that exists in nature.

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Taxonomy

• the identification, naming, and classification
  of species
• Taxonomists spend their time searching for
  previously unknown organisms, determining their
  relationships to known organisms, and giving them
  names.

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The Linnaean System of Classification

• The system is hierarchical.
• Larger groups are more general and smaller groups
  are more specific.
• For example, the phylum Chordata includes both
  lions and lionfish, but the genus Panthera
  includes only lions.

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Seven Levels of Taxonomic Classification

• Kingdom
• Phylum
• Class
• Order
• Family
• Genus
• Species

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Kingdom, Phylumwhat?

• An easy way to remember the classification
  levels
• Kansas Predators Catch Old Furry Grey Squirrels
• Try to make up your own!

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Seven Levels of Taxonomic Classificationfor the

• Kingdom
• Phylum
• Class
• Order
• Family
• Genus
• Species

Grizzly Bear
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Kingdom

• The most general of the seven levels.
• Traditionally, biologists have recognized five
  different kingdoms Monerans, Protists, Fungi,
  Plants, Animals

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Phylum (plural phyla)

• Each kingdom is subdivided into smaller, more
  specific groups called phyla.

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Class

• Each phylum is subdivided into smaller groups
  called classes.

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Order

• Each class is subdivided into smaller groups
  called orders.

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Family

• Each order is subdivided into smaller groups
  called families.

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Genus (plural genera)

• Each family is subdivided into smaller groups
  called genera.

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Species

• Each genus is subdivided into smaller groups
  called species.
• The species is the most specific level of
  classification.

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Scientific Names

• The scientific name (binomial) of an organism
  contains two partsthe name of the genus and the
  name of the species.

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Writing Scientific Names

• The rules for writing scientific names
• -CAPITALIZE the first letter of the genus name.
• -Do not capitalize the species name.
• -Both names must be underlined or italicized.
• Example human Homo sapiens

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Seven Levels of Taxonomic Classificationfor the

• Kingdom-Animalia
• Phylum-Chordata
• Class-Mammalia
• Order-Carnivora
• Family-Felidae
• Genus-Panthera
• Species-leo

Lion
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Seven Levels of Taxonomic Classificationfor the

• Kingdom-Animalia
• Phylum-Chordata
• Class-Mammalia
• Order-Primates
• Family-Hominidae
• Genus-Homo
• Species-sapiens

Human
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Seven Levels of Taxonomic Classificationfor the

• Kingdom-Protista
• Phylum-Sarcodina
• Class-Rhizopoda
• Order-Amoebida
• Family-Amoebidae
• Genus-Amoeba
• Species-proteus

Amoeba
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Seven Levels of Taxonomic Classificationfor the

• Kingdom-Animalia
• Phylum-Chordata
• Class-Mammalia
• Order-Carnivora
• Family-Canidae
• Genus-Canis
• Species-familiaris

Dog
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Seven Levels of Taxonomic Classificationfor the

• Kingdom-Plantae
• Phylum-Tracheophyta
• Class-Anthophyta
• Order-Asterales
• Family-Compositae
• Genus-Taraxacum
• Species-officinale

Dandelion
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Seven Levels of Taxonomic Classificationfor the

• Kingdom Animalia
• Phylum Chordata
• Class Mammalia
• Order Xenarthra
• Family Myrmecophagidae
• Genus Tamandua
• Species tetradactyla

Collared Anteater
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The Linnaean System of Classification

• The system is phylogenetic.
• It is meant to reflect the evolutionary
  interrelatedness among groups.
• For example, the grey wolf and the dog both are
  placed in the genus Canis because of their close
  evolutionary relationship.
• Homologous structures are the clues used to
  assess how closely organisms are related.

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A nested hierarchy is the name given to the
hierarchical structure of "groups within groups"
used to classify organisms. This pattern reflects
evolution by common descent.
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Cladograms

• A cladogram is a phylogenetic tree with branch
  points defined by shared homologous structures of
  organisms in a particular branch (clade).
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