Classica(on

of Life

Taxonomy
Classica(on: grouping objects/informa(on based
on similari(es
Taxonomy: the science of classifying organisms

Taxonomy Today
Based around evolu(onary rela(onships:
Phylogeny

Organisms with recent common ancestors are
grouped together

Current System Binomial

Nomenclature
Binomial Nomenclature: Genus and species iden(er (some(mes
subspecies)
Gray Wolf

Coyote

Canis lupus familiaris

Genus
(capitalized)

Species
iden(er

All
italics

Canis lupus lupus

Subspecies
Canis latrans

Common Mistakes
Only capitalize genus, not species or
subspecies

Canis Lupus <- incorrect
Canis lupus <- correct

Species name is both genus and species
iden(er, not species iden(er alone

Current System 8 Levels

Did King Phillip come over for good soup?
Watch out for the plurals, some of
them are tricky!

Genus -> Genera, for example

3 Domains The broadest

classica(on of life
Eubacteria

Single-celled
Prokaryotes
Examples:
Strep throat
Pneumonia
Salmonella

Archaea

(Ar-KAY-uh)

Single-celled
Prokaryotes
Some live in

human gut
None cause
illness

Eukaryota

All eukaryotes
Single- OR mul(-

cellular

Eukaryota Four Kingdoms

Plants
(Plantae)

Pro(sts

(Pro(sta)

Animals

(Animalia)

Fungus

(Fungi)

Pro(sts Kingdom Pro(sta

Most single-celled, some mul(-
cellular

Eukaryotes

Can be autotrophs or
heterotrophs

Catch-all group dont t
anywhere else

Not a single evolu(onary group

Fungus Kingdom Fungi

Can be single- OR
mul(-cellular
Eukaryotes
Cell walls (but of
dierent material than
plant cell walls)

Heterotrophs cant
make own food

Plants Kingdom
Plantae (plan-tea)
Mul(-cellular
Eukaryo(c

Autotrophs - Can make
their own food
through
photosynthesis

Have chloroplasts, cell

Animals Kingdom
Animalia
Mul(-cellular

Eukaryo(c

Heterotrophs cant
make own food

No cell wall

Have organs and organ
systems

Taxonomy is changing!
Taxonomy changes as new evidence is
discovered

Domains are new (not in your textbook)
Many scien(sts think pro(sts should be split
up, because they arent closely related to each
other