Classification of Living Things

1
Classification of Living Things

• Introduction to the Modern System
• By Ms. Kasem

2
Need for Classification

• Living things have characteristics in common such
  as the functions or activities that are necessary
  to maintain life.
• In order to study living things in an organized
  and efficient way, biologists find it necessary
  to classify or group organisms in a logical way.

3
Basis for Classification

• The most common basis for classifying organisms
  is similarities in structure.
• Such as the exoskeleton, appendages, organs, or
  cellular structures (chloroplasts, nuclei).
• Biochemical and genetic similarities, in patterns
  of embryological development, and fossil evidence
  are also used for classification.

4
Modern System of Classification

• Our modern classification system assumes that
  present day forms of life developed from earlier
  forms.
• The Kingdom is the largest classification group.
• Today, most biologists group organisms into a
  six-kingdom system
• Archaebacteria (ancient bacteria), Eubacteria
  (true bacteria), Protista, Fungi, Plantae, and
  Animalia

5
Classification Standards

• The six kingdom system is based on the following
  standards
• 1. The presence or absence of a nuclear
  membrane within the cell.
• 2. Whether the organism is unicellular
  (one-celled) or multicellular (many celled)
• 3. Type of nutrition

6
Subdivisions of Kingdoms

• Kingdom
• Phylum
• Class
• Order
• Family
• Genus
• Species -includes all organisms of the same kind

7
Scientific Names

• Common names are not used, Latin is used for
  scientific naming because it is the universal
  language of science and it is accepted worldwide.
• Binomial Nomenclature- consist of a genus and
  species name for each organism.
• These names are written in italics.
• The genus name is capitalized and the species
  name is not capitalized.
• Homo sapiens.man
• Canis familarisdog