Taxonomy

The purpose and importance of Taxonomy

In order to study the great diversity of organisms and ecosystems and to effectively communicate their findings, biologists must organize their knowledge. Taxonomy is the science of naming, describing and classifying organisms.

 Classification involves arranging organisms into groups based on their similarities, which reflect evolutionary relationship among lineages.

IMPORTANCE
To distinguish between beneficial and harmful varieties. To record the worlds biodiversity. To communicate biological knowledge efficiently between the scientists. To develop strategies for protection and conservation of endangered species.

Classification systems

Artificial classification

Natural classification -Phenetic -Phylogenetic

Artificial Classification
Simple to make and convenient to use. Involves separating organisms into groups according to their differences. These difference may be chosen for convenience rather than for any biological significance. Use easily observable characteristics with no biological significance. But no information about evolutionary relationships or patterns.

Example:

Earthworms

Snake

Frog

Crayfish

The animals may be separated into two groups by asking the question: Do they have legs? This produces: (a)Group A- Crayfish and frog (b)Group B-snake and earthworm.

Natural Classification
Consider embryological(developmental), morphological, anatomical, biochemical,cytological and even behaviourial similarities between organisms. 2 types: phenetic( numerical) and phylogenetic.

Phenetic classfication
Based on the number of shared observable characteristics between organisms. It is a quantitative approach- the more measurable similarities there are, the more likely two organisms are to belong to the same group. Phenetics do not differentiatiate between homology and analogy(homoplasy). This is because they believe that if the number of shared characters is very large, the classfication is valid.

Phylogenetic classification
Based on shared characteristics which reflect evolutionary relationships. This mean that organisms in the same group are believed to have a common ancestor.

 Shared ancestral charaters(plesiomorphic characters) are traits that were present in an ancestral species and remain present in all groups descended from the ancestor. Shared derived characters(synapomorphic charaters) are traits found in two or more taxa that first appaeared in their most recent common ancestor.

 Ancestral characteristics: The egg-laying trait is both reptiles and birds. But, only bird have feathers and beaks, not reptiles.derived traits. So, the common egg-laying ancestor for birds and reptiles appeared earlier in evolutionary history than the common feathered ancestor for different groups of birds.

 Cladogram: The base of the cladogram represents the common ancestor. Each mode or branch point represents a more recent common ancestor.

Homologous Strucutures
The wing of a bird, a whales flipper and the front leg of a horse, although superficially dissimilar, can all be seen to have similar bone structure and on further study can be seen to have evolved from a common form of forelimb. Known as the pentadactyl limb. They are homologous characters.

Analogous characters
The wings of a butterfly and a humming bird may be flapping extensions but they are totally different in basic structure.

 Notochords were the first "backbones" serving as support structures in chordates The amniotes are a group of tetrapod vertebrates (four-footed animals with backbones or spinal columns) that have a terrestrially adapted egg.