Chapter 2 Classification
SPI: SPI 0807.5.1 - Use a simple classification key to identify an unknown organism.
Classification means organizing living things into groups based on their similarities.
Scientists classify living and extinct organisms to make them easier to study.
Organisms are classified by shared characteristics and their relationships between one another.
The levels of classification go from very general to very specific.
Domain Did Kingdom King Phylum Philip Class The 8 levels: Come Order Over Family From Genus Great Species Spain
The science of classifying organisms is called taxonomy.
Taxonomy was founded by Linnaeus in the 1700’s. He classified things only by their shared characteristics.
Modern taxonomists also look at evolutionary relationships between animals.
A branching diagram can show the relationships between organisms.
Organisms that are more closely related are closer together on the branching diagram.
Giving birth to live young Platypus Brown Bear Lion House Cat Ability to purr Retractable claws Giving birth to live young Hair, mammary glands
Moss Fern Pine tree Hibiscus Flowers Seeds Tissues that transport materials Ability to live on land
When living things are classified, they get a scientific name. The scientific name is the same anywhere in the world.
Scientific names are usually Latin or Greek. The scientific name is always the genus and species name together.
The genus is always written first and capitalized. The species is second and is always lower case.
The scientific name is always italicized or underlined. Ex. Felis domesticus
Scientists can use a dichotomous key to identify unknown organisms. Pg.52
Scientists use 6 kingdoms. Archaebacteria Eubacteria Protista Plantae Fungi Animalia
Bacteria are prokaryotic, meaning they do not have nuclei. All other living things are eukaryotic and have nuclei
Archaebacteria live in extreme environments (very hot or cold) They have been on the earth for about 3 billion years.
Most bacteria are in kingdom Eubacteria. They live in many places all over the earth and even inside other organisms.
Kingdom Protista consists of unicellular & simple multicellular organisms.
Protista includes organisms that are not plants, animals or fungi
Plants are usually green and make food by photosynthesis Kingdom Plantae Plants are usually green and make food by photosynthesis They are complex, multicellular organisms
They absorb food from their surroundings. Kingdom Fungi They absorb food from their surroundings. Fungi are usually multicellular (except yeast).
Kingdom Animalia Most move around and have nervous systems. Animals are complex and multicellular.