Taxonomy

The science of naming and classifying

organisms.

Classification Scheme

Domain—all organismsKingdom PhylumClassOrderFamilyGenusSpecies—one type of organism

ClassificationScheme

Domain—all organismsKingdomPhylumClassOrderFamilyGenusSpecies—one type of organism

Taxonomy cont…

• Carolus Linnaeus = Swedish biologist who developed a system for naming and classifying organisms in the 1750’s.

• Linnaeus developed binomial nomenclature, which is a two word system for naming organisms.

Scientific Names

• Rules:– The first name is always the genus. – The second name is always the species. – The first letter of the genus is always

capitalized– The first letter of the species is always lower

case. – Italicized or underlined. – Written in Latin. – Homo sapiens

Classification SchemeKingdom KingPhylum PhilipClass ComesOrder OverFamily ForGenus GoodSpecies spaghetti

HumansKingdom AnimaliaPhylum ChordateClass MammaliaOrder PrimatesFamily HomidaeGenus HomoSpecies sapien

BonoboKingdom AnimaliaPhylum ChordateClass MammaliaOrder PrimatesFamily PongidaeGenus PanSpecies paniscus

House CatKingdom AnimaliaPhylum ChordateClass MammaliaOrder CarnivoraFamily FelidaeGenus FelisSpecies domesticus

LionKingdom AnimaliaPhylum ChordateClass MammaliaOrder CarnivoraFamily FelidaeGenus Panthera (Felis)Species leo

HouseflyKingdom AnimaliaPhylum ArthropodaClass InsectOrder DipteraFamily MuscidaeGenus MuscaSpecies domestica

Dichotomous Key

• Method used for classifying an unknown organisms

• Contains pairs of contrasting descriptions

• After each description, the user will be directed to another pair of descriptions

• The organism will be identified by the contrasting descriptions

• 1. a. wings covered by an exoskeleton ………go to step 2– b. wings not covered by an exoskeleton ……….go to step 3

• 2. a. body has a round shape ……….ladybug– b. body has an elongated shape ……….grasshopper

• 3. a. wings point out from the side of the body ……….dragonfly– b. wings point to the back of the body ……….housefly

Cladogram

• Shows the evolutionary relationships among groups of organisms

• Based on ancestral character (common ancestor of group—example bird & mammal have backbone) and derived character (evolved in ancestor of one group but not the other—example feathers on birds but not on mammals)

CharactersA B C D E

Wall gecko 1 0 1 0 1

Crowned lemur 1 1 1 0 0

Catfish 0 0 0 0 0

Human 1 1 1 1 0

Bullfrog 1 0 0 0 0