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Diversity of Life
Classification
Ref: 326-333 Bio11
• The science of classifying (grouping) and
naming living things is called taxonomy.
• Two main purposes of the science of taxonomy:
1. to ID organisms and 2. to show how closely
organisms are related
• The system of classification is a human
undertaking, based on what we know. What we
know is always changing ….classification is not
so cut and dried.
• It does allow us to manage the 1.5 million known
species ( uniquely different organisms)
• " 'Right now we can only guess that the correct
answer for the total number of species lies
between 2 and 100 million,' says [Michael]
Rosenzweig." Society For Conservation Biology. 26 May 2003.
What are some of the areas in your
everyday life where you use a classification
system?
Refer to your text pg 326
• Reflect question 2 & 3
• Classifying organisms Activity
• Carolus Linnaeus is known as the father of
modern taxonomy.
• He used structure as his basis for grouping.
• He assigned a two-part scientific name (Latin,
sometimes Greek) for each organism.
• Binomial nomenclature
• For example: Ursus horribilus
• Ursus is the Genus name, it is a noun
meaning “Bear” All true bears are in the
genus Ursus.
• horribilus is the species name. It is an
adjective, in this case, meaning ferocious.
• The genus name is always capitalized and
may be used alone.
• The species name is always lower case
and is never used alone.
• Ursus americanus
• U. maritimus
•
•
Range: Alaska, virtually all of
Canada, and most of the U.S. into
central Mexico
semi-aquatic marine mammal that
depends mainly upon the pack ice
and the marine food web for
survival.
Not as closely related to:
• Ailuropoda
melanoleuca
• Phascolarctos
cinereus)
Scientific Naming VS Common
Names
• Provides a common language for all scientists
no matter what their nationality.
• Nova Scotia Lobster= langosta= aragosta
• Homarus americanus
• Common names may be confusing: ringworm is
not a worm!!
• A Star fish is not a fish!!
• A species may have several different
common names…..
• Blue Jay
• Corn Thief
• Nest Robber
• Cyanocitta christata
• Pg 334, Questions 5,6
Levels of Classification
• Today we use seven main levels ( taxa) to
classify organisms
• The broadest grouping is the Kingdom level
• Linnaeus named two kingdoms: Animals and
Vegetabilia ( Plants)
• Today we recognize 5 or 6:
• Plants, Animals, Protists, Monera, Fungi
• Some systems replace Monera with Eubacteria
and Archaebacteria ( see page 329 of Bio 11)
A species is a group of organisms that
are structurally very similar and are able
to produce fertile offspring
Do you know what organisms belong
in the species Canis familiaris ?
What organisms belong to Canis
lupus? Are they the same species as
C. familiaris?
Related species are grouped in the
same genus.