Classification

What is

classification?

• Basically classification is a

fancy word for organization.

• Some Scientists believe there

are as many as 200 million

different kinds of living things

on our planet.

• What would it be like if we did

not organize all the living

things on earth?

• We classify to find patterns,

organize and give names to

each organism.

• Aristotle was a Greek philosopher, he was

the first to try and organize all of the living

things into groups.

• He divided all living things into two groups,

either plants or animals.

• Animals he further divided into three

groups, depending on whether they could

swim, fly or walk.

• His system was used until the 1600’s

Aristotle

Linnaeus

• A Swedish scientist that lived in the 1800’s

• He continued to use Aristotle’s system of

classification, but realized that there needed to be

a system for naming organisms.

• Many people were using different names for the

same plant or animal, so he came up with a 2 part

system to name all organisms. It is called

Binomial Nomenclature (Bi – Two,

Nomenclature - Name)

• Each organism was given a Genus and species,

Genus is the family name and species the

organisms name.

Mountain lion,

cougar and

puma are all

names for the

same animal.

It’s scientific

name is Felis

concolor.

Known as:

Pill Bug,

Rolly Polly,

Potato Bug.

It’s Scientific

name is

Armadillium

vulgare.

• All Scientific Names must be

either underlined or written in

italics.

• The Genus is ALWAYS

capitalized and the species is

ALWAYS lowercase.

• Quercus gambelii (Scrub Oak),

Canis familiaris (Dog), Homo

sapiens (Human)

• The most broad system of classification is

called a Domain.

• All living things are divided into 3

Domains, the system is based on the type

of cell found in the organism

• Bacteria - single celled organisms that

do not contain a nucleus.

• Archaea - Single celled organisms that

do not contain a nucleus , but have a

different cell wall from bacteria.

• Eukarya - Organisms with cells that

have a nucleus.

Domain

Bacteria• All single celled

• Do not have a

nucleus

• Reproduce by

Mitosis

• Some are

autotrophic (make

their own food) and

some are

heterotrophic (eat

other things for

food)

• Prokaryote

Archaea

• Often live in extreme

environments, like:

hot springs,

hydrothermal vents

and salty bodies of

water

• Single celled, with no

nucleus

• Some are autotrophic,

some heterotrophic

• Prokaryote

Eukarya

• All have a

membrane

enclosed nucleus

where they keep

their DNA

• Made up of Plants,

Fungi, Animals

and Protists.

• Nearly all are

multicellular

Classification Today

• We have different

groups or levels of

classification based

on similar traits.

• The next broad group

is a kingdom, the

least broad is species.

• We have 6 different

kingdoms.

• Kingdom, phylum,

class, order, family,

Genus and species.

Kingdom Bacteria

(Monera)

Microorganisms

which are:

• Typically one-

celled

• Have no

chlorophyll

• Multiply by simple

division

• Can only be seen

with a microscope

Kingdom Archaea

(Monera)

Microorganisms

which are:

• One-celled

• Live in extreme

conditions

• DNA signature

differs

• Can only be seen

with a microscope

Kingdom Protista

(Protists)

• Mostly single celled,

ALL have a nucleus

• Some autotrophic,

some heterotrophic

• Kind of the group

that didn’t fit in

anywhere else

• Ameoba, Diatoms,

Euglena,

paramecium and

Algae

Diatom

Paramecium

Euglena

Algae

Kingdom Fungi

• Mostly multicelled

(except yeast)

• Heterotrophs, that

digest externally

• All have a nucleus

and a cell wall (like

plants)

• Cannot move on its

own

• Most are poisonous

Amanita muscaria

Fly-agaric Mushroom

Tiger Death Cap

Kingdom Plantae

(Plants)

• Multicellular, all

have a nucleus and

all have a cell wall

• ALL are

autotrophic through

photosynthesis

• Cannot move on

their own

• Include mosses,

ferns, plants and

trees

Kingdom Animalia

(Animals)

• All multi cellular

with nucleus and

no cell wall

• All heterotrophs

• Almost all can

move

• Includes insects,

fish, amphibians,

reptiles, birds,

mammals, ect.

Further divided

into vertebrates

(have a

backbone) and

Invertebrates

(no backbone)

Invertebrates

Invertebrates

Invertebrate

Vertebrate

Vertebrate

Vertebrate