1. Classifying the Diversity of Living Organisms

2. What is Taxonomy? Taxonomy is the practice of classifying organisms. The Swedish botanist Carolus Linnaeus developed the current taxonomic system in the 1700’s. He grouped organisms by their physical characteristics. Now, we also use genetic and biochemical information to classify organisms. Carolus Linnaeus

3. Hierarchical Classification There are 7 different groups called taxa (singular - taxon) that are used to classify organisms Kingdom is the largest and most general taxon. Species is the smallest taxon – it includes only a single type of organism. Individuals of the same species can interbreed and produce fertile offspring.

4. The order of taxa from biggest to smallest Name of TaxonAnalogy Biggest taxonKingdomCountry PhylumProvince ClassCity OrderNeighbourhood FamilyStreet GenusStreet number Smallest TaxonSpeciesApartment number Remember this phrase: King Philip Came Over From Germany Swimming

5. Example Classification of a Panther

6. Naming Organisms (Nomenclature) Nomenclature means a naming system. Biologists use binomial nomenclature to give every species a two-word scientific name. The two part scientific name starts with the genus (first letter capitalized) followed by the species name (all lower case letters). Example) Common name – cat Scientific name – Felis domesticus

7. Why do we use scientific names? Common names are not universal, whereas scientific names are Scientific names tell us about the organism’s evolutionary history

8. Human Box Elder Tree Bobcat Canadian lynx K ingdom AnimaliaPlanteaAnimalia P hylum/Division ChordataAnthophytaChordata C lass MammalianDicotyledonaeMammalia O rder PrimatesSapindalesCarnivora F amily HominidaeAceracaeFelidae G enus HomoAcerLynx S pecies sapiensnugundorufuscanadensis