1. Classification
Taxonomy

2. Taxonomy Science of naming and classifying living things (organisms)
Taxonomy classifies organisms into categories called
taxonomic categories

3. 7 Taxonomic Categories Most General (Few things in common)
Kingdom – most general category
Phylum – more specific category than Kingdom
Class – more specific category than Phylum
Order – more specific category than Class
Family – more specific category than Order
Genus – more specific category than Family
Species – most specific taxonomic category of all
Most Specific (Many things in common)

4. Names of Organisms Every organism is given a scientific name
Is a 2-word name given to each organism
It consists of the GENUS & the SPECIES

5. Homo sapiens OR Homo sapiens
It is written with:
genus name beginning with a capital letter and
species name with a lower case letter
It is written either in italic font or plain underlined font
Example:
Homo sapiens OR Homo sapiens

6. Scientific names are the same anywhere in the world
Organisms are also given common names
Common names are different from region to region, country to country, across cultures languages etc.
Example:
Dog is a common name
Canis familiaris is a scientific name

7. Binomial Nomenclature
This two-word naming system that assigns each organism a 2-part scientific name is called - Binomial Nomenclature
The classification system and the 2-word naming system were developed by a Swedish biologist named Carolus Linnaeus in 1700’s

8. The 5 Kingdoms Monera Protista Fungi Plantae Animalia
All organisms can be classified into 5 different kingdoms
Simplest Organisms
Monera
Protista
Fungi
Plantae
Animalia
Complex Organisms

9. General Characteristics of the 5 Kingdoms
Monera
Protista
Fungi
Plantae
Animalia
Simple
Complex
Prokaryotic
(No nucleus)
Eukaryotic
(Nucleus)
Some Move
Do Not
Move
Most

10. 5 Main Criteria based on which organisms are classified
1. Homologous Structures – Similar structures in different organisms that developed the same way
2. Analogous Structures – Structures in different organisms that have similar function but developed in different ways
3. Chemical Tests – blood & other chemicals
4. Life Histories – life cycles are compared
5. Breeding Studies – only organisms of same species will produce offspring

11. Dichotomous Key
Tool used to identify organisms that were already discovered, described, classified and named
The key contains series of questions about the visible physical traits of organisms
Each question in the key involves a choice between 2 characteristics / or the presence or absence of one characteristic
Dichotomous means “split in two”

12. Sample Dichotomous Key
1a. Bean round………………Garbanzo bean
1b. Bean elliptical or oblong…………Go to 2   
2a. Bean white………………..White northern
2b. Bean has dark pigments………...Go to 3   
3a. Bean evenly pigmented………….Go to 4
3b. Bean pigmentation mottled….Pinto bean   
4a. Bean black……………………Black bean
4b. Bean reddish-brown………..Kidney bean