Taxonomy

The science of naming organisms.

Aristotle

Plant or animal? If an animal, does it

– Fly– Swim– Crawl

Simple classifications Used common names

Carolus Linnaeus

Described organisms with two word names, instead of polynomials

Developed binomial nomenclature First word = genus name Second word = species name

Why binomial nomenclature?

Much easier than a 10+ word name under old “polynomial system”

Same name no matter where you go Less confusion Binomial = SCIENTIFIC NAME

Taxonomic hierarchy

Names organisms and their relationships from very broad to very specific

Analogous to sorting mail– County, zip code, street, house number

All organisms classified in a hierarchy Kingdom (broadest) Phylum Class Order Family Genus Species (most specific)

Bird Cladogram

Overview of the 6 kingdoms

Archaebacteria– Unicellular– Live in extreme environments– Prokaryotic

Eubacteria– Unicellular– Prokaryotic– “Common bacteria”

Overview of the 6 kingdoms Protista

– Eukaryotic– Unicellular or colonial– Lots of different life styles

Fungi– Cell walls made of chitin– Eukaryotic– Multicellular– fungi cannot make their own food

Overview of the 6 kingdoms

Plantae– Eukaryotic & Multicellular– Cell walls made of cellulose– Autotrophic

Animalia– Eukaryotic & Multicellular– No cell walls– Internal heterotrophs