Why classify?

•Humans have developed classification systems in order to make sense of the

abundant biological diversity that exists in nature.

Taxonomy

•…the identification, naming, and classification of species

•Taxonomists spend their time searching for previously unknown organisms, determining their relationships to known organisms, and giving them names

Eight Levels of Taxonomic

Classification

• Domain

• Kingdom

• Phylum

• Class

• Order

• Family

• Genus

• Species

From biggest to smallest:

1.Domain – compare to a continent 2. Kingdom – compare to a country3. Phylum –compare to a state4. Class – compare to a county5. Order – compare to a town6. Family - compare to a neighborhood7. Genus - compare to a street8. Species – compare to house number

Domain, Kingdom, Phylum…what?An easy way to remember the classification

levels:

• “ Do Kansas Predators Catch Old Furry Grey Squirrels”

• “Does King Phillip Come Over For Grape

Soda”

Eight Levels of Taxonomic Classification

for the…Grizzly Bear

• Domain= Eukarya

•Kingdom= Animalia

•Phylum= Chordata

•Class= Mammalia

•Order= Carnivora

•Family= Ursidae

•Genus= Ursus

•Species= Ursus arctos

Eight Levels of Taxonomic Classification

for the…

Dog

• Domain-Eukarya

•Kingdom-Animalia

•Phylum-Chordata

•Class-Mammalia

•Order-Carnivora

•Family Canidae

•Genus-Canis

•Species- Canis familiaris

Scientific name=

Canis familiaris

Writing Scientific Names

•The rules for writing scientific names:

• -CAPITALIZE the first letter of the genus name.• -the species name is all lower case letters.• -Both names must be underlined or italicized.

•Example: human = Homo sapiens

Another Example

• E. coli --Sometimes the genus name is abbreviated.

• Escherichia coli

• Scientific Name = Rhinecanthus aculeatus

• - Hawaii – Huma Huma Nuka Nuka Apua’a

• - Other Places - Picasso Triggerfish

Modern System of Classification

• Domain Archae: unicellular (one cell) prokaryotes (contain no nuclei),

harsh environments.

• Domain Bacteria: common form of bacteria, circular shaped, most are aerobic (needs oxygen).

Domain Eukarya:

• Protista: eukaryotesm(have nuclei) mostly unicelluar, no complex tissues or systems.

• Fungi: heterotrophic (cannot make its own food) eukaryotes, unicellular and multicellular(2 or more cells), absorb nutrients, 100,000 species.

• Plantae: Eukaryotes, multi-cellular, most are autotrophic (make their own food) ------ photosynthesis, 350,000 species.

• Animalia: Eukaryotes, multi-cellular,

Heterotrophic (cannot make its own food), most have symmetrical bodies.

Archae(bacteria)

Bacteria

Protists

Fungi

Plants

Animals