Classification
5.3 Classification of Biodiversity
Classification
• Classification involves arranging living
organisms into groups based on
similarities in structure, embryology,
and DNA
What is the Value of Classifying
Organisms?
• 1. Aiding the identification of species
– When confronted with an unidentified species,
scientists look at classification keys which
give hints to help provide a name for it.
• 2. Shows evolutionary links
– Species in the same group usually share
characteristics since they have descended
from a common ancestor. Classification can
be used to predict how they evolved.
• 3. Predicting characteristics shared by
similar species
– If several species in a group share a
characteristic, another species in the group
will probably share that characteristic.
What is a Species?
• A species is a group of organisms with
similar characteristics, which can
interbreed and produce fertile
offspring. Their DNA will also be very
similar.
Binomial System of
Nomenclature:
• All identified species are given an
international name, so scientists
around the world can refer to it. The
naming system that scientists use to
name species is known as the binomial
system since 2 names are used to refer
to each species.
• Carolus Linneaus – Swedish Botanist that
developed the classifying system.
• Binomial Nomenclature – 2 part scientific
name.
• First word capitalized, not second
• Written in Italics
• Example: Homo sapiens
Example:
Genus
Species
Common
Name
Homo
sapiens
Modern
Humans
Homo
erectus
Java Man
Homo
neanderthalensis
Neanderthal
Man
Three Domains of Classification
• Bacteria
• Archaea
• Eukaryota
Kingdoms of Life
All life is classified into one of 5 kingdoms:
Kingdom
Examples
Prokaryotae Bacteria/ Blue-
Characteristics
Prokaryote cells: unicellular, no
green Algae
nucleus, no organelles
Protoctista
Protists/ Algae
Eukaryote cells: unicellular &
simple multicellular, nucleus,
organelles
Fungi
Mold/ Yeast/
Mushrooms
Eukaryote: uni- to multicellular,
heterotrophs, mostly saprotrophs
Plantae
Higher Plants
Eukaryote: multicellular,
autotrophs, cellulose cell walls
Animalia
Animals
Eukaryote: multicellular,
heterotrophs, lack cell walls
Prokaryote
• 2. Protista – single cell eukaryotes. Has a
Nucleus
• 3. Fungi – build cell walls. Heterotrophic.
(do not make their own food)
• 4. Plantea (plants) – Autotrophic (make
their own food). Includes Algae. Have cell
walls.
• 5. Animalia – multi-cellular. No cell walls!
Seven Levels of Hierarchy of Taxa:
Hierarchy of Taxa Example #1
Example #2
Kingdom
Animalia
Plantae
Phylum
Chordata
Coniferophyta
Class
Mammalia
Pinopsida
Order
Primate
Pinales
Family
Hominidae
Pinaceae
Genus
Homo
Pinus
Species
sapiens
Pinus ponderosa
(Ponderosa Pine)
1. Given the following scientific
name: Felis rex
Which is the genus name?
• A) Felis
• B) rex
• C) Both are the genus name.
A) Felis (the first name of the
scientific name is always the genus
name. The genus name always
begins with a capital letter!)
The use of the scientific name involving 2
names for each species is based on
which system?
•
•
•
•
A) Monomial Nomenclature System
B) Binomial Nomenclature System
C) Trinomial Nomenclature System
D) Polynomial Nomenclature System
B) Binomial Nomenclature System
(bi=2, nomial = names)
Which kingdom do birds, mammals,
fish, snakes and amphibians belong to?
•
•
•
•
•
A) Prokaryotae
B) Protoctista
C) Fungi
D) Plantae
E) Animalia
E) Animalia
Which kingdom do the bacteria and
blue-green algae belong to?
•
•
•
•
•
A) Prokaryotae
B) Protoctista
C) Fungi
D) Plantae
E) Animalia
A) Prokaryotae
Which kingdom do all mosses, ferns,
conifers and flowering plants belong to?
•
•
•
•
•
A) Prokaryotae
B) Protoctista
C) Fungi
D) Plantae
E) Animalia
D) Plantae
Which kingdom do the molds,
yeasts and mushrooms belong to?
•
•
•
•
•
A) Prokaryotae
B) Protoctista
C) Fungi
D) Plantae
E) Animalia
C) Fungi
Why should organisms be
classified?
• A) to make it easier to identify species
• B) to make predictions about similar
species
• C) to make evolutionary links between
similar species
• D) Answers A & B
• E) Answers A, B & C
E) Answers A, B & C
Which classification term below
means a group of similar species?
•
•
•
•
•
A) Genus
B) Family
C) Order
D) Class
E) Phylum
A) Genus
Which classification term below
means a group of similar families?
•
•
•
•
•
A) Genus
B) Species
C) Order
D) Class
E) Phylum
C) Order
Which of the following is the correct hierachary
of taxa from species to kingdom?
A) Species : Phyla : Class : Order : Family : Genera :
Kingdom
B) Species : Genera : Order : Class : Family : Phyla :
Kingdom
C) Species : Genera : Family : Order : Class : Phyla :
Kingdom
: Kingdom
D) Species : Family : Order : Class : Genera : Phyla :
Kingdom
E) Species : Genera : Aliens : Klingons : Romulans :
Vulcans : Kingdom
Which of the following correctly describes
the classification of the organism at right?
A) Unicellular Consumer
B) Unicellular Producer
C) Multicellular Producer
D) Multicellular Consumer
D) Multicellular Consumer
Which of the following describes the
classification of the organism shown to the right?
A) Unicellular Consumer
B) Unicellular Producer
C) Multicellular Producer
D) Multicellular Consumer
C) Multicellular Producer
Which of the following is not a
species?
A) Pinus ponderosa
B) Homo sapiens
C) Olsynium douglasii
D) Canis lupus
E) Mockingbird
E) Mockingbird