Taxonomy

1. Taxonomy

2. Taxonomy:
Science of classifying living things based on
similarities.

3. Aristotle
• Over 2,000 years ago
• Developed the first system of classification
All Living Things
Plants Animals
Herbs Shrubs Trees Land Air Water

4. Using Common Language
• Using Common Names creates many problems
with taxonomy
• There are language and culture barriers
• Fish ? Oak ? Difference ?
Crayfish
Silverfish
Shellfish
Starfish
Jellyfish
Red Oak
White Oak
Chestnut Oak
Cougar
Mountain Lion
Panther
Puma

5. Carolus (Carl) Linneaus
• “Father of Taxonomy”
• Introduced Binomial Nomenclature
The process by which all living things are given a
two word scientific name.
• Based in Latin & Greek languages

6. Binomial Nomenclature
Scientific Names
• First Name = Genus Second Name = Species
(Must be capitalized) (Must be lowercase)
Both must be italics or underlined !
Examples:
Felis domesticus = House cat
Homo sapien = Humans
Felis leo = African Lion
Drosophilia melanogaster = fruit fly
Felis concolor = Mountain Lion
Canis lupus = Gray wolf

7. Scientific Names
• All scientific names are chosen to describe
an organisms features, its geography, or
some other trivia (person who named it).
• Trifolium = 3 leaves agraium = fields
• Linnaea = Linneaus borealis = northern
• Quercus = oak alba = white

8. 8 Categories of Classification
• Domain
• Kingdom (King)
• Phylum (Philip)
• Class (Came)
• Order (Over)
• Family (For)
• Genus (Good)
• Species (Spaghetti)
Remember by Mnemonics !

9. Sub-Groupings
• Subspecies (ssp) – same species, but notable
morphological differences due to geographic isolation.
(common in animal species)
Subspecies of the rat snake Elaphe obsoleta, which interbreed where their ranges meet.

10. • Varieties (var.) – same
species but notable
morphological differences not
due to isolation. (common in
plants, breeds of animals, even
races of people)

11. • Strains – refer to biochemically dissimilar
microorgamisms (bacteria, viruses)
Typical Staph Bacteria MRSA Bacteria

12. Criteria/Evidence for Classification
• Comparing anatomical structures in order to
determine similarities between organisms
• Homologous Structures: similar parts between
organisms (related)
• Analogous Structures: different anatomical parts
between two organisms (un-related)
1. Morphology

13. Homologous vs. Analogous

14. 2. Embryology
• Comparing the early development of organisms
in order to group similar organisms.

15. 3. Genetics
• Comparing DNA
sequences to determine
similarities.
Humans and Chimps share 99.6% of the
same exact DNA !

16. 4. Phylogeny
• Family tree that shows
evolutionary
relationships.
• Base of tree = common
ancestor of all the
living things in the tree
• Branching = change of
organism into a new
species

17. Phylogeny
• Tips of Branches =
Current day
species
• The closer the
branches, the
more similar
• The farther the
branches, the
more different

18. 5. Biosystematics
• The study of reproductive capabilities in organisms
(can two species reproduce with one another?)
bi·o·sys·tem·at·ics
The statistical analysis of data obtained from
genetic, biochemical, and other studies to assess
the taxonomic relationships of organisms or
populations, especially within an evolutionary
framework.

19. Animalia
Plantae
Plantae
Protista
Animalia
Animalia
Protista
Fungi
Plantae
Animalia Animalia
Protista
Monera
Fungi
Plantae
Protista
Eubacteria
Archaebacteria
Fungi
Plantae

20. Kingdom Cell Type # Cells Nutrition
Archaebacteria Prokaryotic Unicellular Autotrophic &
(Primitive Bacteria) Heterotrophic
Eubacteria Prokaryotic Unicellular Autotrophic &
(Normal Bacteria) Heterotrophic
Protista Eukaryotic Mostly Autotrophic &
(Amoeba, Paramecium, algae) Unicellular Heterotrophic
Fungi Eukaryotic Mostly Heterotrophic
(Mushrooms, mold, yeast) Multicellular
Plantae Eukaryotic Multicellular Autotrophic
Animal Eukaryotic Multicellular Heterotrophic