Classification of Living Things

Please write down everything in THIS COLOR

Why do scientists classify?• Biologists use classification to

organize living things into groups so that the organisms are easier to study.

• Classification: the process of grouping things based on their similarities.

• Taxonomy: the scientific study of how living things are classified.

The classification system of Linnaeus

• 1750s • Swedish scientist named Carolus

Linnaeus created a naming system for organisms.

• Binomial nomenclature: the naming system for organisms in which each organism is given a two-part name—a genus name and a species name.

Genus and Species• Genus: a classification grouping

that consists of a number of similar, closely related species. The first part of an organism’s scientific name.

• Species: A group of similar organisms that can mate and produce fertile offspring. The second part of an organism’s scientific name.

For example…genus

• Pumas, ocelots, and housecats are all classified in the genus Felis. They all share characteristics such as sharp, retractable claws and behaviors such as hunting other animals.

…and species.• The species name sets one

species in a genus apart from another.

• The species name often describes a distinctive feature of an organism—where it lives or its color. – Puma: Felis concolor (same color)– Ocelot: Felis pardalis (spotted)– House cat: Felis domesticus (of the

house)

Specifics• These words are in Latin.

– Latin was the language that scientists communicated in during that time.

• The entire scientific name is written in italics.

• The genus is capitalized and the species begins with a small letter.

7 levels of classification• KINGDOM• PHYLUM• CLASS• ORDER• FAMILY• GENUS• SPECIES• If you can, think of a way to

remember these—King Phillip Comes Over For Good Spaghetti

Here is the classification of what we know as a leopard

Kingdoms• A kingdom is the broadest level of

organization. There are 6 main kingdoms:– Animals– Plants– Fungi– Protists– Eubacteria– Archaebacteria

Phyla• Within a kingdom there are phyla.

– One of the most important phyla classifications is in the animal kingdom.

– Animals with backbones are placed in the phylum Chordata.

– Animals without backbones are placed in many different phyla

Scientists have divided the Animal Kingdom into two main groups:

vertebrates

(animals with a

backbone)

invertebrates (animals without a backbone)

and

Taxonomic or dichotomous key

• Taxonomic key: a series of paired statements that describe the physical characteristics of different organisms.

• It is also called a dichotomous key (“di” meaning “two”) because at each level on the key there are two choices to identify the organism.

Try using a dichotomous key!• http://students.ed.qut.edu.au/n236

4379/MDB377/DichotomousKey.html

• Use this link to work together as a class to classify different animals.