Transcript Taxonomy Notes

Taxonomy
Taxonomy:
Science of classifying living things based on
similarities.
Aristotle
• Over 2,000 years ago
• Developed the first system of classification
All Living Things
Plants
Herbs
Shrubs
Animals
Trees
Land
Air
Water
Using Common Language
• Using Common Names creates many problems
with taxonomy
• There are language and culture barriers
• Fish ?
Oak ?
Difference ?
Crayfish
Red Oak
Cougar
Silverfish
White Oak
Mountain Lion
Shellfish
Chestnut Oak
Panther
Starfish
Jellyfish
Puma
Carolus (Carl) Linneaus
• “Father of Taxonomy”
• Introduced Binomial Nomenclature
The process by which all living things are given a
two word scientific name.
• Based in Latin & Greek languages
Binomial Nomenclature
Scientific Names
• First Name = Genus
(Must be capitalized)
Second Name = Species
(Must be lowercase)
Both must be italics or underlined !
Examples:
Felis domesticus = House cat
Homo sapien = Humans
Felis leo = African Lion
Drosophilia melanogaster = fruit fly
Felis concolor = Mountain Lion
Canis lupus = Gray wolf
Scientific Names
• All scientific names are chosen to describe
an organisms features, its geography, or
some other trivia (person who named it).
• Trifolium = 3 leaves
agraium = fields
• Linnaea = Linneaus
borealis = northern
• Quercus = oak
alba = white
8 Categories of Classification
• Domain
• Kingdom
• Phylum
• Class
• Order
• Family
• Genus
• Species
(King)
(Philip)
(Came)
(Over)
(For)
(Good)
(Spaghetti)
Remember by Mnemonics !
Sub-Groupings
• Subspecies (ssp) – same species, but notable
morphological differences due to geographic isolation.
(common in animal species)
Subspecies of the rat snake Elaphe obsoleta, which interbreed where their ranges meet.
• Varieties (var.) – same
species but notable
morphological differences not
due to isolation. (common in
plants, breeds of animals, even
races of people)
• Strains – refer to biochemically dissimilar
microorgamisms (bacteria, viruses)
Typical Staph Bacteria
MRSA Bacteria
Criteria/Evidence for Classification
1. Morphology
• Comparing anatomical structures in order to
determine similarities between organisms
• Homologous Structures: similar parts between
organisms (related)
• Analogous Structures: different anatomical parts
between two organisms (un-related)
Homologous vs. Analogous
2. Embryology
• Comparing the early development of organisms
in order to group similar organisms.
3. Genetics
• Comparing DNA
sequences to determine
similarities.
Humans and Chimps share 99.6% of the
same exact DNA !
4. Phylogeny
• Family tree that shows
evolutionary
relationships.
• Base of tree = common
ancestor of all the
living things in the tree
• Branching = change of
organism into a new
species
• Tips of Branches =
Current day
species
• The closer the
branches, the
more similar
• The farther the
branches, the
more different
Phylogeny
5. Biosystematics
bi·o·sys·tem·at·ics
The statistical analysis of data obtained from
genetic, biochemical, and other studies to assess
the taxonomic relationships of organisms or
populations, especially within an evolutionary
framework.
• The study of reproductive capabilities in organisms
(can two species reproduce with one another?)
Animalia
Animalia
Animalia
Protista
Protista
Protista
Monera
Eubacteria
Animalia
Animalia
Protista
Archaebacteria
Fungi
Fungi
Fungi
Plantae
Plantae
Plantae
Plantae
Plantae
Kingdom
Cell Type
# Cells
Prokaryotic
Unicellular
Autotrophic &
Heterotrophic
Prokaryotic
Unicellular
Autotrophic &
Heterotrophic
Eukaryotic
Mostly
Unicellular
Autotrophic &
Heterotrophic
Heterotrophic
(Mushrooms, mold, yeast)
Mostly
Multicellular
Plantae
Eukaryotic
Multicellular
Autotrophic
Animal
Eukaryotic
Multicellular
Heterotrophic
Archaebacteria
(Primitive Bacteria)
Eubacteria
(Normal Bacteria)
Protista
(Amoeba, Paramecium, algae)
Fungi
Eukaryotic
Nutrition