CLASSIFICATIONCLASSIFICATION

• Classification is the Classification is the grouping of objects grouping of objects or information based or information based on similaritieson similarities

• Study of Study of Classification is Classification is called called TaxonomyTaxonomy

Why do we classify????Why do we classify????….….

Classifying isClassifying is useful useful

• To scientists, To scientists, agriculturists, agriculturists, aborists. aborists.

• Often, knowing Often, knowing something about something about a similar species a similar species will give us some will give us some knowledge of a knowledge of a new speciesnew species

““Lumpers and Splitters”Lumpers and Splitters”

• Classification is a Classification is a continuous continuous process, changing process, changing with new info.with new info.

• Sometimes, there Sometimes, there is is disagreement….disagreement….

Five Kingdoms, Six Five Kingdoms, Six kingdoms, Domains,kingdoms, Domains,

• -even -even SuperSuperkingdoms?kingdoms?

• Historically, Historically, classification was classification was based on structural based on structural similarities, thensimilarities, then

• -evolutionary -evolutionary relationships.relationships.

• Molecular genetics is Molecular genetics is often used now.often used now.

Classification is based-Classification is based-

- 1. on similarities 1. on similarities in chromosomes,in chromosomes,

- 2. biochemistry 2. biochemistry (which is coded (which is coded for by for by chromosomes),chromosomes),

- 3. breeding 3. breeding behavior, behavior,

- 4.geographical 4.geographical distributiondistribution

This basis for classification This basis for classification

-shows probable -shows probable evolutionary evolutionary relationshipsrelationships

Let’s begin with the Let’s begin with the smallest groupsmallest group

• SPECIESSPECIES• Definition-very Definition-very

closely related closely related organisms that organisms that interbreed interbreed naturally to naturally to produce fertile produce fertile offspringoffspring

Even that can be Even that can be confusing-confusing-

• Some taxonomists Some taxonomists useuse

” ” sub-species”, as in sub-species”, as in arctic wolves arctic wolves being a sub-being a sub-species of gray species of gray wolveswolves

MulesMules

• Come from breeding Come from breeding a horse and a a horse and a donkey.donkey.

• Baby mules do not Baby mules do not come from Mommy come from Mommy and Daddy mulesand Daddy mules

• This shows horses This shows horses and donkey are and donkey are closely related, but closely related, but not the same speciesnot the same species

An organism’s species An organism’s species

• -is part of its -is part of its Scientific Name,Scientific Name, such assuch as

• Homo sapiensHomo sapiens

Species names may Species names may describe the describe the organism;organism;

such as “man who such as “man who thinks”thinks”

The other part of the The other part of the scientific name isscientific name is

• GENUS, the next GENUS, the next largest largest classification classification groupgroup

• Homo is the Homo is the human genushuman genus

• There are no There are no other living other living species of Homospecies of Homo

Binomial nomenclatureBinomial nomenclature

• -is the term used -is the term used to describe the to describe the scientific name scientific name using the genus using the genus and the speciesand the species

• Latin is used Latin is used because it doesn’t because it doesn’t changechange

• Scientific names Scientific names are universalare universal

A TAXONA TAXON

• Is any group of Is any group of organisms, such organisms, such as genus, species, as genus, species, kingdomkingdom

• Plural is TAXAPlural is TAXA

Genera (plural of genus)Genera (plural of genus)

• belong to a belong to a FAMILYFAMILY

• Families are Families are grouped together grouped together to form an ORDERto form an ORDER

• The next largest The next largest taxa is CLASStaxa is CLASS

• And classes are in And classes are in a PHYLUM a PHYLUM

Which brings us back toWhich brings us back to

• KINGDOMS, the KINGDOMS, the largest and most largest and most general general classificationclassification

DOMAINSDOMAINS

• And And SUPERKINGDOM SUPERKINGDOM are groups are groups encompassing encompassing kingdoms within kingdoms within three larger three larger groupsgroups

We study SIX kingdomsWe study SIX kingdoms

• ARCHAEBACTERIAARCHAEBACTERIA• EUBACTERIAEUBACTERIA

• PROTISTSPROTISTS• FUNGIFUNGI• PLANTSPLANTS• ANIMALSANIMALS

ArchaebacteriaArchaebacteria

• Prokaryotic Prokaryotic • UnicellularUnicellular• Heterotrophic or Heterotrophic or

autotrophicautotrophic• SomeSome of the of the

autotrophs are autotrophs are chemosyntheticchemosynthetic, , using energy found using energy found in molecules to in molecules to produce their own produce their own food.food.

ArchaebacteriaArchaebacteria

• Live in extreme Live in extreme environmentsenvironments, such , such as swamps, very as swamps, very salty areas, salty areas, hydrothermal ventshydrothermal vents

• Names like Names like halophiles, halophiles, methanogens, methanogens, thermophilesthermophiles

• Most of these Most of these environments are environments are oxygen-freeoxygen-free

EubacteriaEubacteria

• Also Also ProkaryoticProkaryotic

• UnicellularUnicellular• Autotrophic Autotrophic

or or HeterotrophicHeterotrophic

• Live in most Live in most environmentsenvironments

Some eubacteriaSome eubacteria

• cause diseases, cause diseases, but many are but many are helpfulhelpful and most and most are not harmfulare not harmful

• Cyanobacteria Cyanobacteria (“blue-green (“blue-green algae”), algae”), coccus, coccus, bacillus, spirillum bacillus, spirillum

PROTISTSPROTISTS

• Eukaryotic Eukaryotic CellsCells• often often unicellularunicellular• MulticellularMulticellular protists protists

do not have complex do not have complex organsorgans

• Heterotrophic-Heterotrophic-animal-like or animal-like or fungus-like or fungus-like or AutotrophicAutotrophic

• Very diverse Very diverse kingdomkingdom

FUNGIFUNGI

• EukaryoticEukaryotic• Unicellular yeast or Unicellular yeast or

multicellularmulticellular• Heterotrophic-Absorb Heterotrophic-Absorb

nutrients from nutrients from environmentenvironment

• Cell walls are Cell walls are composed of chitincomposed of chitin

• Sessile (do not move Sessile (do not move from place-to-placefrom place-to-place))

PLANTSPLANTS

• EukaryoticEukaryotic• MulticellularMulticellular• AutotrophicAutotrophic• Cell walls are Cell walls are

composed of composed of cellulosecellulose

• SessileSessile

ANIMALSANIMALS

• Eukaryotic, Eukaryotic, • MulticellularMulticellular• HeterotrophicHeterotrophic, ,

and move from and move from place-to-place for place-to-place for at least part of at least part of their life cyclestheir life cycles