Classification of Living Things Introduction to Classification
How are things classified? How do you know where to find an item at the grocery store? If items were placed just anywhere, it would be very hard to find the milk! But you know that milk is found in the Dairy section. Similar items are placed together so they are easier to find.
Grouping Makes Things Easy! Living things are also placed in groups to make it easier to study them and their relationship to one another.
Classification Into Kingdoms All living things can be placed into one of six major categories called ‘Kingdoms’: Animal (Animalia) Plant (Plantae) Fungi Protist (Protista) Eubacteria Archeabacteria
Further Classification Organisms can be further classified based on other similarities, such as structure and early development. Phylum Class Order Family Genus Species Going down the list, each category contains organisms that are more and more alike!
Discovery Education King Philip Came Over For Good Spaghetti 3 (things you learned) 2 (things you know or want to know) 1 (mnemonic device)
Classifying K – Central Dauphin School District P – Linglestown Middle School C – 6 th Grade O – Lions Team F – Lamb’s Science Class G – Period # ___ S – Student’s name
Humans and Horses You might not think humans and horses are much alike, but: Both are animals Both have a backbone and four limbs Both have hair and bear live young Both feed their young milk
Humans and Horses And, there are many differences. See how we only share three categories with horses: HumansHorse Kingdom: AnimaliaAnimalia Phylum: ChordataChordata Class: MammaliaMammalia Order:PrimatePerissodactyla Family:HominidaeEquidae Genus: HomoEquus Species: H. sapiensE. ferus
Canis familiaris The system uses the organism’s genus for its first name, and its species for its second name. For example, the scientific name of dog is Canis familiaris Genus and species names are of Latin origin and universal. No matter the language or country, Canis familiaris would mean the organism seen above!
Canis-Canine Canis is a Latin term that refers to dog-like, canine creatures. Wolves, coyotes, jackals, dingos, and dogs all belong to the genus Canis.
Canis species But wolves, coyotes, dogs, and jackals are different enough that they are considered separate species. Canis familiaris Canis latrans Canis lupus Canis aureus
REVIEW Animals in the same Genus share many common characteristics and are closely related They are not exactly the same though, so they are given a separate species name so that scientists do not get confused
Genus species Lamb christine share with others specific just to me as an individual Think of the Genus almost as a person’s last name. People that are related to each other have the same last name…however not all family members are the same. There are individuals within the family. Think of the species as an individual’s first name. This name helps identify the specific person within the family. In a similar way, the species name lets the scientist know exactly which species in the genus they are talking about.
Why do scientists use a standard classification system? 1 official name for each animal {prevents duplication because all names must be approved by the international naming congresses} Shows the relationship between animals It is easier to locate names/species Scientists can share information & collaborate Keeps it organized This system allows scientists to identify new species Eliminates misnaming {ex: a star fish is not a fish} Easy to use system with clear rules for naming Latin – uses 1 common language