Grouping & Identifying Living Things Classification Grouping & Identifying Living Things

Why classify? It is an ordered way of describing similar living things that can be recognised world wide. The largest group is the KINGDOM of which there are 5.These share similar features e.g. plants are green and carry out photosynthesis. Each Kingdom is subdivided in PHYLA (single:PHYLUM) e.g. Chordata (backbone)

Each Phylum is divided into a CLASS (e.g. Mammalia) Then comes ORDER (e.g. Carnivora) FAMILY (e.g. Felidae) GENUS (e.g. Panthera) SPECIES ( e.g. Panthera Leo)

Binomial System There are many types of similar animals in the world e.g. the MONGOOSE can be meerkat, Suricate or Sun Angel. To avoid confusion about each species they are given a scientific names using the Bionomial System (which means 2 names) The first name is the GENUS (family name) and the 2nd is the TRIVIAL name that applies to 1 species. E.g. Human is HOMO SAPIEN Lion is PANTERA LEO Cholera bacteria is VIBRIO CHOLERAE

Classifying Living Things We put livings things into two large groups: Animals Plants

Animals Animals are spilt into two major groups: Vertebrates Invertebrates

Vertebrates These are animals with a backbone. There are five groups of vertebrates: Amphibians Birds Fish Mammals Reptiles

Amphibians Have moist skin Lay jelly coated eggs in water Lives on land and returns to water to breed water Fertilisation is external Breath using lungs on land and through skin in water

Birds Have feathers and hollow bones Lay hard shelled eggs Warm blooded (homeothermic) Front limbs modified as wings Beak is light and has no bone or teeth

Fish Have wet scales covered in mucus for streamlining Lays eggs in water Lives in water Fins for swimming and balance Have a lateral line for detecting vibrations and pressure

Mammals Have hair or fur and females produce milk to suckle young Give birth to live well developed offspring (no eggs) Warm blooded Mouth contains a variety of teeth for varied diets

Reptiles Have dry scales to reduce water loss Fertilisation is internal but development is external Lay leathery waterproof shelled eggs Cold blooded so often bask in the sun to raise body temperature

Summary of Vertebrates

Invertebrates These are animals without a backbone There are eight groups of invertebrates Molluscs Flatworms Annelids Roundworms Sponges Echinoderms Cnidarians Arthropods

Molluscs Crawl on a single fleshy pad called a foot. Can have a shell hardened by calcium carbonate. Mouthparts designed to scrape vegetation on land

Flatworms Have flat worm like bodies Usually have “hooked” mouthparts to attach to a host

Annelids ( segmented worm) Have round worm like bodies with a mucus layer Have bodies divided into segments Chitae (bristles) found on each segment for movement Clitellum (saddle) to bind 2 worms together during reproduction Pointed front end for biting leaves and helping movement through soil

Roundworms( Nematodes) Have long thin round worm like bodies so not washed from hosts system Have bodies with no segments Body covered in mucus to prevent attack by hosts digestive juices

Sponges Have bodies made of loosely joined cells

Echinoderms Have bodies divided into five parts Have spiny outer covering

Cnidarians(jellyfish) Have thin sack like bodies Have tentacles

Arthropods Have lots of legs and segmented bodies. There are four group of arthropods: Arachnids Centipedes & Millipedes Crustaceans Insects

Arachnid Have four pairs of legs attached to cephalothorax Have bodies divided into two sections cephalothorax and abdomen Spinneret which produces long thin strands of silk Powerful jaws

Myriapods – Centipedes & Millipedes Have long thin bodies and pairs of legs on each of their many body sections Mouthparts are modified legs hardened for biting Hard exoskeleton Antennae are sense organs

Crustacean Have five-seven pairs of legs First pair often used as pincers Bodies covered in a thick shell called a carapace 2 pairs of antennae and compound eyes Many have gills under their shells

Insects Have three pairs of legs Bodies divided into three sections Often have wings Breathe through holes called Spiracles in the abdomen 1 pair of antennae and compound eyes Covered in a waterproof cuticle to reduce water loss