2. Why classify?
• Humans have developed
classification systems in order to
make sense of the abundant
biological diversity that exists in
nature.
3. Taxonomy
• the science of naming organisms
and assigning them to groups
• Taxonomists search for previously
unknown organisms, determining
their relationships to known
organisms, and giving them
names.
4. Chordata
Panthera
The Biological Classification System
• 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.
5. The Biological Classification System
• 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.
9. Kingdom
• The most general of the seven
levels.
• Most biologists currently recognize
six different kingdoms:
Archaebacteria, Eubacteria,
Protists, Fungi, Plants, Animals
10.
11. Phylum (plural: phyla)
• Each kingdom is subdivided into
smaller, more specific groups
called phyla.
21. Species
• Each genus is subdivided into smaller
groups called species.
• The species is the most specific level
of classification.
22.
23. Scientific Names
• The scientific name of an
organism contains two parts—the
name of the genus and the name
of the species.
24. 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
30. Seven Levels
of Taxonomic
Classification
for the…
• Kingdom: Animalia
• Phylum: Chordata
• Class: Mammalia
• Order: Xenarthra
• Family:
Myrmecophagidae
• Genus Tamandua
Collared
Ant eat er
31. Assignment (Due Monday)
• Find and write down all seven major
levels of taxonomic classification for
the organism of your choice.
