Classification
Classification- grouping together of organisms
Taxon- a group of similar organisms
Taxonomy- the study of classification
Linnaean system of classification
➔ Created taxonomic hierarchy
➔ System
● Kingdom
○ Animal + Plant
● Phylum
● Class
● Order
● Family
● Genus-refers to a relative small group of organisms
● Species-usually a latin description of a specific characteristic of the
organism
○ Animals can breed together and fertilise offspring
➔ Each classification is more specific than the rest
➔ Organisms are named by a binomial species of Genus and Species
● Binomial name makes it easy for everyone to understand what organisms
they are talking about (different languages spoken all over the world)
● E.g. the binomial name for Humans is Homo sapiens
○ Genus is capitalised not the species and it is written in Italics
Changes to classification
➔ Changes in classification are due to improvements in technology
● Improvements in microscope improve understanding of internal structures
● Increased understanding of biochemistry, particularly the cell ribosomes
and the way different cells reproduce
● Able to compare genomes
➔ Carl Woese created a three-domain system after improved chemical analysis techniques
(1990)
● Discovered that some species weren’t as closely related
➔ There are now 6 kingdoms
● Prokaryotes
○ Archaebacteria (ancient bacteria like organisms)
Classification- grouping together of organisms
Taxon- a group of similar organisms
Taxonomy- the study of classification
Linnaean system of classification
➔ Created taxonomic hierarchy
➔ System
● Kingdom
○ Animal + Plant
● Phylum
● Class
● Order
● Family
● Genus-refers to a relative small group of organisms
● Species-usually a latin description of a specific characteristic of the
organism
○ Animals can breed together and fertilise offspring
➔ Each classification is more specific than the rest
➔ Organisms are named by a binomial species of Genus and Species
● Binomial name makes it easy for everyone to understand what organisms
they are talking about (different languages spoken all over the world)
● E.g. the binomial name for Humans is Homo sapiens
○ Genus is capitalised not the species and it is written in Italics
Changes to classification
➔ Changes in classification are due to improvements in technology
● Improvements in microscope improve understanding of internal structures
● Increased understanding of biochemistry, particularly the cell ribosomes
and the way different cells reproduce
● Able to compare genomes
➔ Carl Woese created a three-domain system after improved chemical analysis techniques
(1990)
● Discovered that some species weren’t as closely related
➔ There are now 6 kingdoms
● Prokaryotes
○ Archaebacteria (ancient bacteria like organisms)
