Classification of living organisms

• Living things are classified into groups depending on their structure and characteristics, a system developed by Carl Linnaeus.
• Organisms are commonly named by the binomial system of genus and species.
• The Linnaean system of classification is the first division of living things into five kingdoms: animals, plants, fungi, protists, and prokaryotes.
• Kingdoms are the first division of living things in the classification system.
• The classification of species allows the subdivision of living organisms into smaller and more specialised groups.
• Phylum is a taxonomic rank between kingdom and class, and is represented by the plural phyla.
• The arthropods are an example of a phylum.
• Class is a rank in classification below family and above species.
• Species is the lowest rank in the classification system.
• The binomial system of classification uses two parts to name an organism: the genus and the species.
• Human beings belong to the genus Homo and our species is sapiens, so the scientific name is Homo sapiens.
• The Felidae family can be further sub-divided into four genus examples: Acinonyx, cheetah; Panthera, lion and tiger; Neofelis, clouded leopard; Felis, domestic cats.
• Linnaeus couldn't distinguish between different types of organisms such as algae, lichens, fungi, mosses and ferns.
• Linnaeus' original ideas have been adapted, but continued to be accepted and as new species are identified they can be fitted into the current classification system.
• This allowed more divisions to be created, and with the advancement of technology, this allowed the development of Linnaeus's classification system.
• The European robin is Erithacus rubecula, which is much smaller than the American robin, Turdus migratorius, which belongs to a different genus.
• The inability to examine such organisms in detail made separation of these difficult at the time.
• Carnivores can be divided into Canidae, which includes dogs, and Felidae, which includes cats.
• The grouping of families was added to allow the large number of new species to be included in this system.
• The binomial system is important because it allows scientists to accurately identify individual species.
• As more scientific equipment became available it allowed scientists to examine organisms in more detail and note important features, such as the identification of sex organs.
• Species is the final classification stage, and the genus Panthera can be divided into Panthera leo, lion; Panthera tigris, tiger.
• Living things are classified using a system developed by Carl Linnaeus.
• Organisms are commonly named by the binomial system of genus and species.
• Technology associated with biology has advanced throughout the years, which has allowed the current classification system to be enhanced by using microscopes, biochemistry and DNA evidence.
• The development of microscopes allowed cells to be examined in far more detail.
• Organelles within the individual cells could be distinguished and this allowed a more scientific approach of classification.
• The development and study of biochemistry and the processes undertaken inside the cells, in some cases, have allowed any ambiguities within this classification system to be clarified.
• The comparisons of DNA sequences have allowed the relationship of organisms to be explored further.
• In some cases, species that are more closely related may have fewer differences contained within the DNA sequences.
• Carl Woese developed the three-domain system based on evidence now available from chemical analysis.
• The updated system divides organisms into: Archaea (primitive bacteria usually living in extreme environments) Bacteria (true bacteria) Eukaryota (including protists, fungi, plants and animals)
• Evolutionary trees are a method used by scientists to represent the relationships between a set of organisms.
• The tips of the tree often represent different species and where two branches join, this represents a common ancestor for those two species.
• Evolutionary trees can be created from current data such as DNA analysis and existing fossil data.