Features used in classification

• phylogenic definition of species:

  ‘ a group of species with similar appearances, anatomy, physiology, biochemistry + genetics’
• Aristole classified living things as plants + animals; then subdivided into:

  • live + move in water
  • live + move in land
  • ones who fly in air

  based on similarities he observed + was then made more accurate by other scientists due to fish in same group as turtles, birds with insects
• Linneaus + other scientists adapted further but limited as it was by observable features

  17th century they already had light microscope

  • In early two-kingdom classification they had single-celled organisms that had animal-like features in animal kingdom + single-celled organisms that had plant-like features in plant kingdom

  →fungi, like plants, do not move, hyphae grow in surrounding substrates like roots do
• Linneaus + other scientists 2

  when electron microscope was found it cleared everything as they were able to see cells more detailed

  →realised that many single-celled organisms have both plant + animal features

  • the resulting upheaval of the world in taxonomy + classification led to the adoption of five kingdoms that we use today