Classification

Chapter 2.1
Page 48-53

Vocabulary Words

Classification
Taxonomy
Dichotomous Key

How would you classify these

animals?

What does it mean to

classify something?

Classification
grouping based on similar characteristics

Classification- the division of organisms into groups, or

classes, based on specific characteristics

How many known species are there?

What are the defining characteristics of each species?
What are the relationships between these species?

Carolus Linnaeus
The founder of modern taxonomy
Taxonomy- the science of describing, naming, and

classifying organisms
Tried to classify all living things based on their shape and
structure
Today, we use a similar system to the one that Linnaeus
developed

Classification Today
Taxonomists use an 8-level system to classify living things

Based on shared characteristics

Use shared characteristics to hypothesize how closely related

living things are

The more characteristics the organisms share, the more closely

related the organisms may be

Branching Diagrams

8 Levels of Classification
Domain
Kingdom
Phylum
Class
Order
Family
Genus
species

Domain
Kingdom
Phylum
Class
Order
Family
Genus
Species

8 Levels of Classification
Domain
Denmarks
Kingdom
King
Phylum
Philip
Class
Came
Order
Over
Family
For
Genus
Good
species
sushi

Species- a group of organisms that

are closely related and can mate to
produce fertile offspring

Two-Part Scientific Names:

Genus species
Usually written in Latin or Greek
ALL Genus names begin with a CAPITAL letter
ALL species names begin with a lowercase letter
Usually, both words are underlined or italicized

Asian Elephant- Elephas maximus

No other species has the name
Elephas maximus

capitalized Genus

lowercase species

Tyrannosaurus rex
T. rex
Tyrannosaurus is the

combination of two
Greek words and
means tyrant and
lizard
rex is Latin for king

Homo sapiens?

Homo sapiens?

Homo is Latin for man

sapiens is Latin for wise

Homework

Page 53 Section Review #1-9

Dichotomous Keys

Dichotomous key- an aid that is used to identify organisms

Sequential pairs of descriptive statements/questions

Each statement has two alternative responses
Each response will lead to a new set of statements or to the name of
the organism

1.
a) This mammal flies. Its hand
forms a
wing...
.little brown bat
b) This mammal does not fly. Its
hand
does not form a wing..
.go to step 2

2.
a) This mammal has no hair on
its
tail.
...go to step 3
b) This mammal has hair on its
tail.
go to step 4

4. a) This mammal has a black mask

across its face..
.raccoon
b) This mammal does not have a black
mask across its face..go to
step 6

6. a) This mammal is brown and has a

white underbelly
go to step 7
b) This mammal is not brown and
does not have a white underbelly.
.go to step 8

7.
a) This mammal has a long, furry
tail that
is black on the tip..
..longtail weasel
b) This mammal has a long tail
that has
little fur.
white-footed mouse

Longtail weasel
Mustela frenata

Mustela- Latin for weasel

frenata- Latin for bridled