Taxonomy



In Biology, scientists group organisms into
categories. Each larger category is then broken
down into smaller categories.
Taxonomy is the study of naming and classifying
organisms.
Until the mid-1700’s, biologists would name
organisms by giving it a descriptive sentence which
sometimes would have 12 or more Latin words.
These were called polynomials meaning “many
names.”
Binomial Nomenclature




To make it easier, biologists decided to give each
organism a two part name.
The language that is used to write scientific names is
Latin.
The two-part naming system is called binomial
nomenclature.
The scientist who came up with this system of naming
was Carolus Linneaus.
Take a look at some of the history of
binomial nomenclature. Click on the video
clip on the left of this website.

Classification
Scientific Name


The two-part name for a
species is called its
scientific name.
The first word in the name
is called the Genus. A
genus is a group of
organisms containing
similar species.
Genus Myzomela
Scientific Name


The second word identifies one organism within the
genus. This is called the species.
A species is the most specific group in the system of
classification.
How to write a scientific name?


When we classify an organism, we give it a genus
and a species as its scientific name.
When we write a scientific name, the genus is
always first and capitalized and the species is
written second and is lowercase.
Example: Quercus rubra (red oak)
How to write a scientific name?



After the first use of the full scientific name, the
genus name can be abbreviated as a capital letter.
For example, Querus rubra can be abbreviated
Q.rubra
All organisms have 2-part scientific names.
The scientific name for humans is Homo sapiens.



Linnaeus classified plants and animals by their traits.
There are 7 levels in which organisms can be
classified.
The kingdom is the biggest group and everything
else is contained within it.
KPCOFGS
Can you make a sentence using the first letter of each classification subgroup?
"King Phillip Came Over For Great Spaghetti"


In the kingdoms, we have all different kinds of
organisms. As we step it down to the genus and
species the organisms become more specific and
more similar.
As we step from kingdom to species, the members
within the same group have more in common with
EACH OTHER than with organisms in another group.
Kingdoms
We have 6 kingdoms of living things.
ARCHAEBACTERIA
EUBACTERIA
PROTISTA
FUNGI
PLANT
ANIMAL
AEPFPA
Can you make a sentence using the first letter of each
kingdom?
Tim and Moby Discuss the 6 Kingdoms
Click on the following link to view the video:
The Mysteries of Life
What kingdom has most organisms?
Learn about Eubacteria and
Archaebacteria and Algae by clicking
the links below:


What is Bacteria?
What is Algae? (Video clip on the left of
webpage)
Why do we classify things?
•
•
Classification provides scientists and students a way to
sort and group organisms for easier study.
There are millions of organisms on the earth!
(approximately 1.5 million have been already named)
Organisms are classified by their:
* physical structure (how they look)
* evolutionary relationships
* embryonic similarities (embryos)
* genetic similarities (DNA)
* biochemical similarities
How Biologists Classify Organisms?



Scientists use differences in appearance and
structures to group organisms.
Sometimes these structural differences cannot
determine if two organisms are of the same species.
So, biologists define what makes something its own
biological species.
Biological Species


A group of actually or potentially interbreeding
populations that are reproductively isolated from
other groups.
This biological species concept works well for the
Kingdom Animalia because there are many modes
to reproduction between animals.


Click on the video link on the website below to view
an overall review of the entire Classification packet.
Classification
If you have extra time, play the
mosquito or parasite game! Click the
link below.

Mosquito or Parasite Game
Organisms are grouped among these 6
kingdoms by:
* the presence or absence of a nuclear membrane
* unicellular (one cell) or multicellular (many cells)
* the type of nutrition used by the organism
(heterotrophic or autotrophic)