classification and taxonomic rankings

ClassificationAnd

Taxonomic Rankings

Taxonomy = Science of Classification(do not confuse with Taxidermy)

Old way to classify – only visual (external anatomy)

Today – visual, anatomical, biogeography, biochemical, DNA

Goals of a Taxonomist:

1. Discover all species of animals and plants2. Reconstruct their evolutionary relationships

An animal’s evolutionary history or “family tree” is called phylogeny.

Quick History of Classification (Systematic):Aristotle (great philosopher,

not a great systematist)- Plants and animals;

categorized based on where organism lived

Quick History of Classification (Systematic):Carolus Linnaeus (Swedish Botanist)

- 1st scientific attempt- Plants and animals (based on

anatomy!)

Quick History of Classification (Systematic):Ernst Haeckel (1937)

- Better microscopes- Eukaryotes or Prokaryotes

Quick History of Classification (Systematic):Robert Whittaker (1969)

- Five kingdoms!- Plants, Animals, Fungi, Protists,

Monera

Quick History of Classification (Systematic):Carl Woese (1977) U of I Professor

- better DNA/RNA analysis- Six kingdoms, 3 domains (Eukarya, Bacteria, Archea)

Back to Linnaeus:

He developed the “binomial nomenclature” system, giving every organism a genus and species

Today it is called a “scientific name” Examples:

Felis domesticus (Common name = Domestic Cat)Canis familiaris (Common name = Domestic Dog)Homo sapien (Common name = Human)

Taxonomic Rankings (Hierarchy) Animals grouped based on common

characteristics into levels called “taxa” or “taxons”

KingdomPhylum

ClassOrder

Family

GenusSpecies