Classification!

Why do we need to classify organisms?
Hmmm.....Maybe to easier call them in a more general terms? Or to show that the organisms that are classified together have common characteristics or traits? O.O
- Accurately & uniformly names organisms
- Prevents misnomers such as starfish & jellyfish that aren't really fish
- Use same language (Latin or some Greek) for all names

How many species are there?
- There are 13 billion known species of organisms.
- This is only 5% of all organisms that ever lived!
- New organisms are still being found and identified.

What is classification?
- Classification is the arrangement of organisms into orderly groups based on their similarities
- Classification is also known as taxonomy
- Taxonomists are scientists that identify & name organisms.

Early Taxonomists
- 2000 years ago, Aristotle was the first taxonomist
- Aristotle divided organisms into plants & animals
- He subdivided them by their habitat.
- John Ray, a botanist, was the first to use Latin for naming
- His names were very long descriptions telling everything about the plant.

Carolus Linnaues (1707-1778)
-18th century taxonomist
- Classified organisms by their structure
- Deveoped naming system still used today.
- Called the "Father of Taxonomy"
- Developed the modern system of naming known as binomial nomenclature
- Two-word name (Genus & species)

Problems in Classifying Organisms
- Species are always changing
- Inter-breeding

Standardized Naming
- Binomial nomenclature used
- Genus species
- Latin or Greek
- Italicized in print
- Capitalize genus, but NOT species
- Underline when writing

Rules for Naming Organisms
- The International Code for Binomial Nomenclature contains the rules for naming organisms.
- All names must be approved by International Naming Congresses (International Zoological Congress)
- This prevents duplicated names

Classification Groups
- Taxon (taxa-plural) is a category into which related organisms are placed
- There is a hierarchy of groups (taxa) from broadest to most specific
- Domain, Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, species

Domains
- Broadest, most inclusive taxon
- Three domains
- Archaea and Eubacteria are unicellular prokaryotes (no nucleus or membrane-bound organelles)
- Eukarya are more complex and have a nucleus and membrane-bound organelles

Taxons
- Most genera contain a number of similar species, with the exception of Homo that only contains modern humans
- Each successive classification category or taxon contains more different types of organisms than the preceding category.

Easy way to remember the order of Classification Group! :)
King                     (Kingdom)
Phillip                  (Phylum)
Came                    (Class)
Over                     (Order)
For                       (Family)
Gooseberry           (Genus)
Soup                    (Species)