Classification of Living Things

Why Classify?Scientific Names are dependable and

universally accepted!

Felis concolor – mountain lion, puma, panther, cougar

Carolus Linnaeus – 1707-1778

Our system is based on his work.

Heirarchical system – 7 levels.

Seven Levels of Classification

Naming OrganismsGenus speciesCalled Binomial Nomenclature!Examples:Homo sapiens – Human Bubo Virginianus – Great Horned Owl

Changes Over TimeLinnaeus (1735) – 2 kingdoms – Animal and VegetableHaeckel (1866) – 3 kingdoms – Protists, Plants, and AnimalsChatton (1937) – 2 empires – Prokaryotes and EukaryotesCopeland (1956) – 4 kingdoms – Monerans, Protists, Plants and AnimalsWhittaker (1969) – 5 kingdoms – Monerans, Protists, Fungi, Plants and AnimalsWoese, et. al. (1977) – 6 kingdoms – Eubacteria, Archaebacteria, Protists, Fungi, Plants and AnimalsWoese, et. al. (1990) – 3 domains – Bacteria, Archaea, Eukarya

Complete classsification

What characteristics are used?

Similar structuresEvolutionary relationships“Derived characters” – new

characteristics that are evolutionary innovations

Derived characteristics are used in cladograms.

Cladogram

Comparative Anatomy

Turtle Human Horse Bird Bat Seal

Human Coccyx and Monkey Tail

Molecular Biology

Comparative Embryology

CHICK HUMAN