CHAPTER : 01 : CLASSIFICATION

1.1 Characteristics of all living things:

- All the living things in the environment is known as organisms. Living organisms have seven
features or characteristics. These features are:

* Growth (A permanent increase in size)

*Movement (An action by an organism changing place)

*Sensitivity (The ability to detect and respond to changes in the environment)

* Excretion (Removal of toxic materials and substances in excess of requirement)

*Reproduction (Process that make more of the same kind of organisms)

*Nutrition (Taking in of materials for energy, growth and development)

*Respiration (The chemical reaction in cells that break down nutrient molecules and release energy)

1.2 Classification:

The method of arranging the organisms into groups is called classification. When we classify things,
we put them into groups based on their characteristics.

A classification is a division or category in a system which divides things into groups or types.

 Classification is needed for the convenient study of living organisms.

 It is necessary for knowing the different varieties of organisms.
 It helps in the correct identification of various organisms.
 It helps to know the origin and evolution of organisms.
 It helps to determine the exact position of the organism in the classification.
 It helps to develop phylogenetic relations between different groups of organisms.

A common ancestor is an ancestral group of organisms that is shared by multiple lineages. For
example, an early mammal species, which existed sometime in the distant past, is a common
ancestor of whales, cats, humans, and all other modern mammals.

Morphology-

Anatomy-

DNA-

Bases-

The first person to try to classify organisms in a scientific way was a Swedish naturalist called
Carolus Linnaeus. He introduced his system of classification in 1735. He divided all the different
kind of living things into groups called species. Species are grouped into large groups called
genera(singular- Genus). Several genera are then grouped into a family, families into orders, orders
into classes, classes into phyla and phyla in to kingdoms.

Linneaus gave every species of living organism two names, written in Latin. This called binomial
system. First name is the name of Genus and last name is the name of species. Genus is always in
capital letter and species in small letter. Binominal or scientific name of Horse is Equas caballus.

The kingdoms of living organisms:

# Animals:

- Multicellular
- Cells have a nucleus but no cell walls or chloroplasts.
- Feed on organic substances made by other living organisms

(e.g. Earthworm, Human)

# Plants

- Multicellular
- Cells have a nucleus, cell walls made of cellulose and often contain chloroplasts.
- Feed by photosynthesis
- May have roots, stems and leaves.

(e.g. Oak tree, Mango tree)

# Fungi

- Usually Multicellular
- Cells have a nucleus,
- cell walls not made of cellulose
- do not have chloroplasts.
- Feed by saprophytic or parasitic nutrition.

(e.g. Agaricus)

# Protoctista

- Multicellular or unicellular
- Cells have a nucleus,
- Cells may or may not have cell walls and chloroplasts.
- Some feed by photosynthesis and other feed on organic substances made by other
organism.

(e.g. Paramecium)

# Prokaryotes

- Often unicellular(single cell)

- Cells have no nucleus,
- have cell walls not made of cellulose.
- Have no mitochondria

(e.g. Bacteria, Virus)

CLASSIFICATION OF ANIMALS:

Animals are broadly classified into two major groups, including vertebrates and invertebrates.
Vertebrates are the ones with a backbone, and Invertebrates are without a backbone. You can
see below the animal’s classification chart or diagram to understand the subcategories of both
major groups.