Classification

• Scientists must use a method to keep all

of the different discovered organisms in
the world organized.
• Classification- placing similar things into
groups.
• Taxonomy: study of the classification of
organisms

Leaf Cutter Ants Argentine Ants

 Classification
• Aristotle (384-322 B.C.) came up with
the first system with 2 groups-
plants and animals.
–It obviously ignored anything
microscopic.
–It grouped flies with bats and
birds just because they
flew,ignoring their
evolutionary ancestry
• Carolus Linnaeus (1707-1778):
developed the modern day system of
classification called binomial
nomenclature.
–Naming based on similar
structural elements.
–Evolutionary relationships were
later used by scientists.
–Binomial nomenclature (means
two names in Latin) uses two
names, genus and species

Ursus arctos:
Grizzly Bear
• First letter of genus is always capitalized, first
letter of species is always lowercase.
• When written by hand, name should be
underlined
• When typed, name should be in italics.
• One scientific name, many common
names.
– Dog, perro, chien, or Canis familiaris.

Genus:
Canis

http://www.nwf.org/wolves/programHomepage.cfm?cpId=57&C
FID=1692833&CFTOKEN=42224307 http://www.doggroups.com/community/album.php
How Living Things Are Classified
• Scientists use a taxonomic hierarchy,
or grouping that goes from having
very specific characteristics to broad
ones.
• The smallest group, or taxon, is the
species. The largest is the Kingdom.
• King Philip Came Over For Green
Spaghetti!
• Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order,
Family, Genus, Species.
• Species is the smallest grouping.
• Kingdom is the largest.
 The Six Kingdoms
Prokaryotes and Eukaryotic
Prokaryotes -do not have a defined
nucleus.
Prokaryotes are split into two separate
kingdoms- Eubacteria and
Archaebacteria.
1. Kingdom Archaebacteria
– are found in harsh, seemingly
unlivable environments such as hot
springs or deep sea vents.
»These environments are oxygen
free!
• 2. Eubacteria
–Eubacteria make up most of the
Prokaryotes.
–They are your basic bacteria that
do not live in these harsh
environments and most need
oxygen to live.
• Eukaryotes: organisms with eukaryotic
cells- cells that contain a membrane
bound nucleus and other membrane
bound structures.
– Humans have eukaryotic cells.
3. Kingdom Protista
Protists are Eukaryotes that lack
organ systems and live in moist
environments.

Actinophrys feeding on
Colpidium (green).

Actinophrys engulfs its

prey like an amoeba.
 4. Kingdom Fungi
• A eukaryote, a fungus is either
unicellular or multicellular and does not
move from place to place. It absorbs
nutrients from its environment for its
energy.
 5. Kingdom Plantae
Consists of all plants. All are multicellular, all
are oxygen producers, all are eukaryotic, all
use the sun as an energy source.
• Have different tissue types and organs
as well as organ systems.
– Ex. Mosses, Ferns, Evergreens, Maple
Trees.
– Cell Walls.
 6. Kingdom Animalia
• Consists of all animals. They must eat
other organisms to obtain their energy.
They have tissues, organs, and organ
systems.
– No cell walls.
Modern Evolutionary Classification
• Factors in Determining Evolutionary
Relationships:
– Structural Similarities
– Breeding Behavior
• Ex. Frogs with different calls
–Geographical Distribution
• Location, Location, Location!
–Chromosome Comparisons
• Cabbage, Kale, Broccoli
• Humans, apes, chimps
–Biochemistry
• DNA sequencing
• Phylogeny: The evolutionary history
of a species.
–A phylogeny of one species or
several species can be illustrated
in a certain type of diagram.
• A cladogram is one type of this
diagram. It uses branches to show
where in time certain groups
diverged from one another.
Cladistics means to branch
Cladogram a model of the
phylogeny of a species…based on
derived traits.
1. Similar to a pedigree chart, but
do not show direct ancestry.
2. The more derived traits they
share, the more common the
ancestry.
•