1. Taxonomy of aquatic species More than 1.5 million species of living organisms known to exist System developed to classify animals plants and other living things Taxonomy – system of ranging organisms into groups; a.k.a. scientific classification Based on relationships between living things Also referred to as systematics

2. Early scientific classification systems classify all living organisms as the plant or animal Single celled organisms also classified into one of the two kingdoms Modern classification systems have six kingdoms Kingdoms Phylum or Division Class Order Family Genus - Species

3. Organisms become progressively similar moving from Kingdom to Species kingdom is broadest group – species is most specific group Most classifications are further differentiated by sub or super categories

4. A variety is a group of related organisms within a species with some unique characteristics but whose differences are not great enough to warrant another species. Involves breeding selected individuals with desired traits Most often applied to plants including terrestrial and aquatic

5. A strain is a group of organisms developed with similar trades to achieve a desire to go Have a common background and are not taxonomically distinct the other members of species Members of a strained our distinguished from the basis of productivity, vigor, resistance to disease or environmental problems, some other characteristics Most often applied to fish and other aquatic animals

6. A breed is a group of animals of the same species with distinct and similar features that are passed on to offspring Often emerge from careful efforts to develop unique organisms within a species Particularly important with agricultural animals such as hogs and cattle Increasingly important in improving aquatic animals such as fish Particular bloodlines may one day be known as breeds

7. A taxonomic name is the scientific name of organism based on its genius and species Written in italics or underlined Usually only the first letter of the first word of the name is capitalized Tilapia: Order – Perciformes Family – Cichlidae Genus – Tilapia Species – aurea Taxonomic name: Tilapia aurea

8. All freshwater, salt water, and practitioner water fish, ornamental fish, baitfish, they’re important to aquaculture belonged in the class Osteichthyes. All members have skeletons with true bones, a skull with sutures, teeth (if present) usually fused to the bones, nasal openings on each side, premaxillae and maxillae, and a swim bladder or a functional lungs. This order sometimes known as bony fish or finfish