CLASSIFYING ORGANISMS

Ch. 1

Vocabulary

Classify- to put things into groupsKingdom- the highest or most general group of organisms

Phylum- the second level of classification below the level of kingdom

Class- the level of classification below phylum

Vocabulary

Species- the lowest level of classification

Vertebrate- an organism with a backbone

Invertebrate- animals without backbones

Lesson 1Why do we classify?

Biologists classify a living thing by comparing and contrasting the living thing’s physical characteristics with the physical characteristics or known organisms

A classification systems helps organize information and makes communication more exact.

What dog are you thinking of?

This is what I was thinking of.

Classification Systems

Today’s classification system was developed by many people and is still changing

The seven levels of classification are: Kingdom Phylum Class Order Family Genus Species

Classification Systems

The six KINGDOMS of living things are: ArchaebacteriaEubacteriaProtistsFungiPlants Animals

Classification Systems

Archaebacteria- live as single cells. Many do not need oxygen or sunlight to live

Eubacteria- single cells that have materials not found in archaebacteria

Protists- most protists are single cells, but some have many cells. Algae are protists

Classification Systems

Fungi- Mushrooms and molds are fungi. Fungi can be made of one or many cells

Plants- plants have many cells and make their own sugar for food

Animals- Animals have many cells and get their food by eating other organisms

Lesson 2 How do we classify vertebrates?

Every animal has characteristics that distinguish it from all other animals Vertebrates:

They are multi-cellular. They are made of more than one cell

They do not create their own food. They can move on their own during part of

or all their lives.

Vertebrates

Almost all animals do not have backbones. Those that do are classified as vertebrates.

Vertebrates:FishAmphibiansReptilesBirdsMammals

Characteristics of Mammals

Breathe air with lungsMake milk for their youngMost mammals have furWarm bloodedBabies are born looking like their

parents

Life Cycle of Mammals

BirthGrowthReproductionDeath

Characteristics of Reptiles

Hatch from eggsScaly skinYoung feed themselvesCold bloodedLay eggsVertebrates

Life Cycle of Reptiles

Hatched (soft shelled eggs)Growth independentlyReproductionDeath

Characteristics of Birds

FeathersYoung are fedWarm bloodedLay eggsVertebrates

Life Cycle of Birds

Hatched (hard-shelled eggs)Growth ReproductionDeath

Characteristics of Amphibians

Soft skinCold bloodedDoes not feed young

Life Cycle of Amphibians

Metamorphosis- many changes occur during their life

Frog’s Life CycleEggTadpoleGrow legs and tail gets shorterDevelop lungs Start living on land

Characteristics of Fish

ScalesCold blooded Do not feed their youngOxygen through gillsLive in water

Life Cycle of Fish

Hatched (soft shelled eggs)Growth independentlyReproductionDeath

Discovery of Dinosaur Fossils

Scientist study fossils to classify animals that lived in the past

Fossil evidence indicates that dinosaurs were similar to present day lizards in many ways including: Skeleton with backbone Scales 4 legs

Dinosaurs and lizards have different structures for their legs.

Review

What are the five types of vertebrates?How many cells does a multicellular

organism such as a bear have?Humans are classified as mammals. What

can you predict about the life cycle of humans?

How are birds and mammals alike?Why is the ability to fly not a defining

characteristic of birds?

Review

Why are young birds hatched with parents present, while most young reptiles hatch long after parents have left the nest?

How are amphibians and reptiles similar?What class of vertebrates did you find if you

discovered an animal that hatched from an egg, spent the next stage of its life entirely in water, and then began to get oxygen through lungs rather than gills?

Review

Tadpoles may be found in water and get their oxygen using gills. Why are tadpoles not classified as fish?

What do scientists compare dinosaur fossils with to classify them?

Why do scientists think dinosaurs are more closely related to reptiles than mammals

Lesson 3 How do we classify invertebrates?

Invertebrates are by far the most numerous animals on Earth

Invertebrate are animals that do NOT have backbones.

Invertebrate animals can range in length from microscopic to the width of a basketball court

Invertebrates Classification

Invertebrates Mollusks Worms Arthropods Cnidarians

Mollusks

Mollusks have soft bodies without backbones.Phylum includes:

Snails, Slugs, Clams, Squids (largest invertebrate)

Some mollusks get oxygen through their skin and other get oxygen through gills

Worms

Flatworms- flat and very thin, they live in wet and damp places

Roundworms- can live on water or landSegmented worms- include earthworm

Arthropods

Largest phylum of animalsHave bodies that are divided into separate parts

All arthropods are invertebrates Dichotomous key- an organized series of questions designed to lead to the identification of an unknown organism

Arthropods

Examples of Arthropods:Insects LobstersSpiders

Arthropods receive oxygen in different ways:GillsTubes in the bodyBook lungs

Dichotomous Key

Review

What animals is the largest invertebrate? How are mollusks, worms, and coral different

from fish, birds, and reptiles?How do mollusks obtain oxygen?What are the identifying characteristics of

arthropods?

Lesson 4How are other organisms classified?

Plants produce their own foodPhyla (phylum) includes:

Mosses Ferns Conifers Flowering plants

Plants use sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide to make their own sugar for food

Plants

Vascular plants- have special tubes that carry food and water to parts of the plant

Parts of a plant:RootsLeaves

Organisms in the plant kingdom are multicellular

Mosses

Characteristics of moss: Not vascular No seeds No flowers

Grows on treesSmall plant with tiny leaf-like structures

Ferns

Characteristics of Ferns: Vascular No seeds No flowers Have feather-like leaves

Will grow larger than moss because it is vascular

Conifers

Characteristics of conifers: Vascular Has seeds No flowers

Phylum includes: Pine, Firs, Spruce

Needle-like leaves

Flowering Plants

Characteristics of Flowering Plants: Vascular Has seeds Has flowers