Classification Notes

Why do we classify?  Classification puts organisms into groups by looking at characteristics (traits) they share.

Taxonomy  Classifying living things into groups based on their body structures (anatomy), DNA or other traits.

Carolus Linneaus  Swedish botanist, lived  Invented binomial nomenclature, the 2- word naming system we still use today to classify organisms  Called “the father of taxonomy.”

Binomial Nomenclature  Gives a unique 2-word, Latin, scientific name to all living things  Genus is capitalized; species is not; both are italicized  Examples: Homo sapiens = human Felis domesticus = cat Felis domesticus = cat Panthera tigris = tiger Panthera tigris = tiger

TURN & TALK  What are these animals’ scientific names? Common name ChimpanzeeParamecium DomainEukarya KingdomAnimaliaProtista PhylumChordataCiliophora ClassMammaliaCiliatea OrderPrimatesPeniculida FamilyHominidaeParamecidae GenusPanParamecium speciestroglodytescaudatum (scientific name) ??

What would you call this creature?

Why are scientific names better than common names?  Ex: pill bug, rolly polly, potato bug  Common names for the same species are different and confusing  Binomial Nomenclature uses Latin (a “dead” unchanging language) that is understood by scientists worldwide  Scientific Name: Armadillidium vulgare

8 taxa of classification: 1.Domain 2.Kingdom 3.Phylum 4.Class 5.Order 6.Family 7.Genus 8.Species Binomial name or Scientific Name

8 taxa of classification 8 taxa of classification DOMAIN

“Trick” to remember the 8 taxa of classification:  D  D umb  K ing  P hillip  C ame  O ver  F or  G rape  S oda

Species  Species is the smallest, most specific group in classification  Organisms in the same species can reproduce together AND their offspring are fertile.

Tool: Phylogeny a “family tree” that classifies organisms by their evolutionary history

Tool: Cladogram  Shows older traits (bottom)  Shows newer or “derived” traits (top)

Tool: Dichotomous Key  Helps identify organisms  Questions with 2 answer choices lead you through the key until you find the correct organism

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Vocabulary  These are words you must know when classifying organisms.

prokaryote Organism that doesn’t have a nucleusOrganism that doesn’t have a nucleus Its DNA is “loose” inside the cellIts DNA is “loose” inside the cell All bacteria are prokaryotes.All bacteria are prokaryotes.

Eukaryote An organism that has a nuceus with DNA inside.An organism that has a nuceus with DNA inside. All protists, fungi, plants & animals are eukaryotes.All protists, fungi, plants & animals are eukaryotes.

Heterotroph  An organism that has to eat or consume nutrition.

Autotroph  An organism that automatically feeds itself.  It makes its own food by photosynthesis or chemosynthesis.

unicellular  An organism with only 1 cell

What does multicellular mean? Having more than one cellHaving more than one cell

Cell wall  A hard covering outside the cell membrane.  Cells of bacteria, fungi and plants have cell walls.

Cell membrane  A flexible covering outside of all cells!  All organisms have cell membranes.  It lets good stuff pass in and keeps bad things out.

motile  Able to move  All animals, some bacteria & protists are motile.

sessile  Not able to move  All plants are sessile.

Sexual reproduction  Involves 2 parents  Some sexual reproduction takes place outside the parents’ bodies. They don’t touch!

Asexual reproduction  Involves only 1 parent.  Examples: 1 bacterium divides to make 2 bacteria