The science of classification. What is TAXONOMY? The science of classification.

What is CLASSIFICATION? To organize or put into groups To categorize

What is BIOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION? To organize or put LIVING THINGS into groups To categorize LIVING THINGS

How do we use classification in everyday life?

Why do we classify living things? organize Study roles and relationships study the evolutionary history of organisms (phylogeny).

How do we classify living things? What do we look at? Physical and behavioral traits or characteristics.

Levels of Classification We currently use the Linnaean taxonomic system, in honor of Swedish biologist Carolus Linnaeus who first developed this method of breaking down organisms. This system breaks down the domains into seven major divisions, and is called TAXONOMY.

Levels of Classification

It’s all about the CELLS!! What is a DOMAIN? It’s all about the CELLS!!

Eukaryote vs Prokaryote? EU = DO PRO = NO

Identifying Characteristics Prokaryote or Eukaryote? Cells without or with a nucleus? Unicellular or Multicellular? Organisms made up of one cell or many cells? Autotroph or Heterotroph? Organisms that can make their own food or depend on other organisms for food?

The Evolution of Our Classification System The Linnaean System is used by scientists all over the world, but has been expanded to include new and different living things as they are discovered. It will continue to grow as human knowledge grows.

The Kingdom Debate The number of kingdoms was under debate, depending on how scientists interpreted research. Most scientists separate the Moneran (bacteria) into two domains and two kingdoms. Archeabacteria Eubacteria

Binomial Nomenclature The scientific way to name living things with a two part Latin name. Each organism is given two names, a generic name (genus) and a specific name (species). Together the generic and specific name of an organism are its scientific name.  Hydra vulgaris

Why Latin? Latin is a universal language. Having a universal system of binomial nomenclature allows scientists to speak the same language when referring to living things, and avoids the confusion of multiple common names that may differ based on region, culture or native language.   Common Names – gray wolf, arctic wolf, western wolf, timber wolf, tundra wolf Scientific Name – Canis lupus

How do we know it’s a scientific name? italicized, or, if hand-written, underlined genus is capitalized species name is lower case For example, the proper format for the scientific name of humans is Homo sapiens.  

What is a GENUS? In biology, it is the classification lower than ‘family’ and higher than ‘species’. In other words, genus is a more general taxonomic category than is species. For example, the generic name Ursus represents brown bears, polar bears and black bears.​​

What is a SPECIES? second part of a scientific name, and refers to one species within a genus  a group of organisms that have similar characteristics and can successfully breed to produce fertile offspring  In the genus Ursus, there are a number of different bear species, including Ursus arctos, the brown bear, Ursus americanus, the American black bear and Ursus maritimus, the polar bear.