How do

we classify
Organisms?
Aguinaldo, Carlchres L.
Types of Classification System
1. Phenetics - a method of classifying organisms that is based on their overall
similarity in physical characteristics or other observable traits.
• Carl von Linné (Carolus Linnaeus)- “Father of Taxonomy”
• In his book Systema Naturae, first published in 1735, he introduced
a way to classify and name organisms. This system is known as
Linnaean Taxonomy.
• Linnaean Taxonomy- a scheme of classification, especially a
hierarchical classification, in which things are organized into
groups or types.
• The system comprises a series of levels, or categories,
called taxa and assigns each species a binominal name. All
scientific names ascribed to species are initially binomial,
consisting of a generic and a specific epithet. In addition, the
organism also assigned a trinomial name, to show that it’s a
subspecies.
▪ DOMAIN ▪ Archaea (primitive bacteria usually living in extreme
environments)
▪ Bacteria (true bacteria)
▪ Eukaryote (including protists, fungi, plants and animals)

▪ KINGDOM ▪ Organisms are placed into kingdoms based on their ability to

make food and the number of cells in their body.

▪ PHYLUM ▪ Plants are normally divided into two groups: vascular and
nonvascular
▪ In the Animal Kingdom, there are 35 different phyla. These
phyla can be divided into two groups: vertebrates and
invertebrates

▪ CLASS, ORDER, FAMILY ▪ Organisms are placed into kingdoms based on their ability to
make food and the number of cells in their body.

▪ GENUS ▪ Contains closely related organisms.

▪ The genus is used as the first word in an organism’s
scientific name.

▪ SPECIES ▪ Consists of all the organisms of the same type which are
able to breed and produce young of the same kind.
▪ The species is used as the second word in an organism’s
scientific name.
 Types of Classification System
2. Cladistics - a method of analysis that determines relationships between organisms that
are based solely on their evolutionary history
• Cladograms- these diagrams consist of a series of branches and leaves
that represent the evolution of groups of organisms through time.
 Types of Classification System
• Phylogenetic Trees- The
trees have branches, the
length of which is
proportional to the predicted
(or hypothesized) time
between the divergence of
the organisms, groups or
gene sequences.