Classification

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Classification

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Species of Organisms

There are 13 billion known species of organisms

This is only 5% of all organisms that ever lived!!!!!

New organisms are still being found and identified

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What is Classification?

Classification is the arrangement of organisms into orderly groups based on their similarities

Classification is also known as taxonomy

Taxonomists are scientists that identify & name organisms

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Benefits of Classifying

Accurately & uniformly names organisms

Prevents misnomers such as starfish & jellyfish that aren't really fish

Uses same language (Latin or some Greek) for all names

Sea”horse”??

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Confusion in Using Different Languages for Names

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Latin Names are Understood by all Taxonomists

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Early Taxonomists

2000 years ago, Aristotle was the first taxonomist

Aristotle divided organisms into plants & animals

He subdivided them by their habitat ---land, sea, or air dwellers

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Early Taxonomists

John Ray, a botanist, was the first to use Latin for naming

His names were very long descriptions telling everything about the plant

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Carolus Linnaeus 1707 – 1778

18th century taxonomist

Classified organisms by their structure

Developed naming system still used today

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Carolus Linnaeus

Called the “Father of Taxonomy”

Developed the modern system of naming known as binomial nomenclature

Two-word name (Genus & species)

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Standardized Naming

Binomial nomenclature used

Genus species

Latin or Greek

Italicized in print

Capitalize genus, but NOT species

Underline when writing

Turdus migratorius

American Robin

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Binomial Nomenclature

Which TWO are more closely related?