Taxonomy

• Carolus Linnaeus


  Founder of modern taxonomy, a Swedish botanist born in 1707
• Linnaeus found that the botanical nomenclature of 18th century Europe was substandard as they gave very long scientific names to species
• Linnaeus catalogued 7,700 plants and 4,400 animals and published it in a catalog called Systema Naturae
• Taxa (taxon)


  A group of one or more populations of an organism or organisms seen by taxonomists to form a unit
• Taxonomic ranks

  • Kingdom
  • Phylum
  • Class
  • Order
  • Family
  • Genus
  • Species
• Binomial Nomenclature


  A system of naming species of living things by using two terms, usually Latin or Greek, that indicate the genus and the species of the organism
• Binomial nomenclature uses a unique two-part name for every species, its scientific name
• Binomial nomenclature started in the Middle Ages, when people knew/learned Latin
• Scientific names are specific and recognized regardless of one's location
• Domain


  The highest rank, includes bacteria, archaea, and eukarya
• Bacteria


  • Live everywhere on Earth, are prokaryotes with no nucleus enclosing their genetic material (DNA)
• Archaea


  • Are prokaryotes but have major DNA and structure differences, more similar to eukaryotes (Eukarya), many are extremophiles like halophiles, methanogens, and thermophiles
• Eukarya

  • Are eukaryotes where DNA is bound inside the nucleus and they have other membrane-bound organelles, make up all the life forms with a nucleus and include all of life, the domain in which humans belong to
• Kingdom

  Previously the highest rank, subject to change as not all scientists agree on it and it has a changing view as we learn more information on DNA and cell structures
• Phylum


  More specific than kingdom, ex. of phyla in the Kingdom Animalia (there are 35): Chordata, Porifera, Arthropoda
• Class


  Introduced late by Linnaeus in the 19th century, ex. of class in the Kingdom Animalia (there are 108): Mammalia, Aves, Reptilia
• Order

  Further subdivides classes, ex. of order in the Class Mammalia (there are 19-26): Primates, Cetaceans, Carnivora, Chiroptera
• Family


  Groups related genera, ex. of family in the Order Carnivora (there are 12): Canidae, Felidae, Mephitidae, Ursidae
• Genus


  Contains closely related species, ex. of genus: Homo
• Species


  The most specific rank, ex. of species: Ursus americanus, Bufo americanus
• Domain: Eukarya


  Cells have a nuclei and membrane-bound organelles
• Kingdom: Animalia

  Multi-cellular, heterotrophic, and have three germ layers when they were embryos
• Phylum: Chordata


  Have a spinal cord down their backs, protected by vertebrae and disks between them and a tail that doesn't have a butthole at the end of it like a worm
• Class: Mammalia


  Lactates, gives birth to young like a cow instead of laying eggs like a chicken, have fur, and three special tiny bones in their ears that only mammals have
• Order: Carnivora


  Like typical placental mammals that eat meat like weasels who are mustelids, and dogs who are canines
• Family: Felidae

  In the cat family whose members have lithe bodies and roundish heads, and, except for cheetahs, retractable claws
• Genus: Felis


  Smaller than tigers and panthers
• Species: Felis catus


  Cat