Chapter 17

Classification

Section 17-1 History of Taxonomy

Taxonomy is the branch of
biology that names organisms
according to their
characteristics and
evolutionary history
Taxonomy organizes the huge
biodiversity (variety of types
of life) of the planet
Organisms were first classified by Aristotle over
2000 yrs ago!
– His system classified organisms as either plant
or animal.
• Problems with his classification:
1. Some organisms are neither plant or animal
2. Common names are different in different regions
(ex. Puma, cougar, and mountain lion are all
same animal
3. Some common names are
inaccurate (ex. Jellyfish is not a
fish, seahorse is not a horse)
 Carolus Linnaeus developed a
more organized system of
classification in the 1700’s

• This system involves seven levels of

classification which are still used today
 Levels of classification
• Memory device:
• Kingdom • King
• Phylum • Phillip
• Class • Came
• Order • Over
• Family • For
• Genus • Good
• Species • Spices
 Some examples (pg. 338)

level Shaggy mane Bobcat

mushroom
Kingdom Fungi Animalia
Phylum Basidiomycota Chordata
Class Homobasidiomycetae Mammalia
Order Agaricales Carnivora
Family Copricaceae Felidae
Genus Coprinus Lynx
species comatus rufus
 Linnaeus’s system for naming
• The system is known as binomial
nomenclature (bi- means 2)
• Each species is identified by two
names: genus and species.
• Genus is capitalized the species is not
and both are written in italics
• Ex: Lynx rufus and Homo sapiens
 Section 17-2 Modern
Phylogenetic Taxonomy
• Classification originally based on morphology
• Modern taxonomists use this and other
evidence to place organisms on a
phylogenetic tree

• A phylogenetic tree is a diagram showing

evolutionary relationships of organisms
 4 Types of Evidence Help
Scientists make a Phylogenetic
Tree
 Evidence:
1. Morphology, or the appearance of an
organism.
Related
organisms will
share
homologous
structures
 Evidence:
2. The fossil record

Some fossils serve as links in connecting current groups of organisms.

EX: archaeopteryx
 Evidence:
3. Embryological patterns of development
– By looking at the stages of an organisms
development scientists can see patterns.
– Ex: all fertilized animal eggs begin to grow
in the same way
• Zygote  blastula  gastrula (read pg 344)
 Evidence:
• Comparing the number of
differences in DNA, amino acids
and proteins
• If mutations in sequence occur
regularly scientists can predict
how closely related organisms
are. The more similar the DNA
the more closely related the
species.
 Cladistics
• A new system of phylogenetic
classification.
• It uses a shared derived characteristic
to establish relationships
• Ex: amniotic (shelled) egg separates
reptiles and birds from other organisms
or hair on mammal
How to
read a
cladogram

Everything else has

jaws
No jaws
Section 17-3 Two Modern
Systems of Classification
 Two main systems:
Three Domain and Six Kingdom
 Kingdom Archeabacteria
• Unicellular (one-celled)
• Prokaryotic (no nucleus)
• Chemosynthetic (use
carbon chemicals to make energy)
• They have different cell membranes
than other organisms
• They often live in harsh environments
 Kingdom Eubacteria

• Unicellular
• Prokaryotic
• Most use oxygen for
respiration
• These are true bacteria: involved in
decomposing dead animals and plants,
making yogurt, etc.
 Kingdom Protista
• Unicellular

 
• Eukaryotic (has nucleus)
• Can be autotrophic (make food or
heterotrophic (eat food)
• Although in the same kingdom there is
a huge variety all very distantly related
                                                                                                                    

                       

Ex: amoeba
and euglena
 Kingdom Fungi
• Multicellular AND UNICELLULAR! oops
• Eukaryotic
• They are heterotrophic (eat food)
specifically they absorb food.
• Common fungi: Yeast mushrooms
 Kingdom Plantae
• Multicellular
• Eukaryotic
• Autotrophic - Plants use solar energy to
photosynthesize or make food
• Most plants live on land and reproduce
sexually
• Ex: venus fly trap oak tree
 Kingdom animalia
• Multicellular
• Eukaryotic
• Heterotrophic (eat food)
• Can live on land or water.
• Reproduce sexually
Ex. Coral elephant