CLASSIFICATION OF LIVING THINGS

The Diversity of Life

WHAT IS CLASSIFICATION?

Classification is the grouping of things according to characteristics

The science of classifying organisms is known as taxonomy

EARLY CLASSIFICATION SYSTEMS

Aristotle grouped animals according to the way they moved

John Ray was the first to use the term “species”

BINOMIAL NOMENCLATURE

Developed by Linnaeus Two-name system Each organism has a first name (genus);

and a second name (species) scientific names are usually italicized

with only the genus name CAPTITALIZED Two different organisms cannot have the

same scientific name

SOME EXAMPLES

Panthera tigris Panthera pardus

Cypraea tigrisPseudolithoxus tigris Archaius tigris

Panthera leo

LEVELS OF TAXONOMY

Kings Play Cards On Fat Green Stools

IDENTIFYING AND CLASSIFYING AN ORGANISM

General characteristics allow identification of kingdom, phylum, class and perhaps order but to get more specific, special tools are used called dichotomous keys

A dichotomous key uses a series of yes/no questions to help you identify the species you are observing

QUESTIONS

AN EXAMPLE (PART OF A DICHOTOMOUS KEY)

PRACTICE – DETERMINE THE IDENTITY OF EACH OF THESE FISH USING THE KEY IN YOUR NOTES

PRACTICE – DETERMINE THE IDENTITY OF EACH OF THESE FISH USING THE KEY IN YOUR NOTES

Moray eel Trumpet fish

Spotted eagle ray

Peacock flounder Spotted goat fish

Band tail pufferSquirrel fish

Glass eye snapper

Glassy sweeper

ACTIVITY – CREATE YOUR OWN DICHOTOMOUS KEY TO IDENTIFY DIFFERENT KINDS OF PASTA