This document provides information about taxonomy and classification. It discusses the levels of taxonomic classification from kingdom down to species. Key points covered include: - Carolus Linnaeus developed the seven-level taxonomic classification system still used today, with levels being kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, and species. - The scientific name for an organism consists of its genus and specific epithet, such as Canis lupus for the gray wolf. - Taxonomists group and name organisms to help study biodiversity and allow scientists worldwide to communicate unambiguously about different species. - Dichotomous keys use a series of choices to identify organisms by their distinguishing

1. Hmmm...
How about those classifying activities we
did?
– Was it easy to make up the classification
scheme?
– Was it easy to follow other people's
instructions?
– Should it be easy for anyone to follow?
– What types of questions make it easier to
classify?

2. Biodiversity
• Scientists have identified 1.75 million different
species of organisms so far
• The number, variety, and genetic variation
of different organisms found within a
specified geographic region

3. QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER:
Why so many organisms?
Why should we care?
What purpose do they really
serve?
Does our existence really
depend on them?

4. How did we get so
much Diversity??
EVOLUTION

5. Taxonomy

6. What is taxonomy?
Taxonomy is the branch of
biology concerned with the
grouping and naming of
organisms
Biologists who study this are
called taxonomists

7. How did it start?
People wanted to organize
their world so they began
grouping, or classifying
everything they saw.

8. Things that swim
Things that fly
Things that crawl
Things that walk on four legs
Things that chew their food
Things that swallow food
whole
Things that are toxic

9. Why classify?
To help us study the earth
To help us organize all the
species we discover . . .

10. To give every species a name
based on a standard method
so scientists from different
countries can talk about the
same animal without
confusion

12. An animal is known by
two names…
Canis lupus is the scientific
name for a gray wolf.
Canis is the genus name
lupus is the species name
This system uses a binomial
nomenclature

13. Binomial Nomenclature
Bi means two
Nomen means name
A binomial nomenclature is a
classification system using
two names to identify an
organism

14. Genus…
A genus consists of a group
of closely related species
Other animals in the Canis
group include dogs and
coyotes
The genus name is always
Capitalized

15. Species...
A species consists of animals
that can mate and produce
fertile offspring
Only grey wolves are known
as lupus.
The species name is always
lowercase

16. What do you get when you cross a Horse
and a Donkey?
A mule, which is sterile!
+
=

17. Who is Carolus Linnaeus?
Carolus Linnaeus was a
Swedish botanist
Developed a 7-level (taxa)
classification system based
on similarities between
organisms

18. Levels of Classification

19. The Seven Level System
Kingdom
Phylum
Class
Order
Family
Genus
Species
King
Phillip
Called
Oprah
For
Good
Spices

20. How does it work?
There are 6 broad kingdoms
Every living thing that we
know of fits into one of the
six kingdoms
Each level gets more specific
as fewer organisms fit into
any one group

22. When referring to a particular species, it is
correct to give both genus and species
together. As an example, here is the
taxonomic classification for the grey wolf:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Sub-phylum: Vertebrata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Family: Canidae
Genus: Canis
Species: Canis lupus

23. When referring to a particular species, it is
correct to give both genus and species
together. As an example, here is the
taxonomic classification for the grey wolf:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Sub-phylum: Vertebrata
Class: Gastropoda
Order: Pulmonata
Family: Cochliocopidae
Genus: Cochlicopa
Species: Cochlicopa lubrica

24. Quick Review
What are the seven taxa or
levels?
Who designed the system?
What taxa are organisms
named with?

25. Day 1
Read pages 10-12
Do p. 13 #1-6
Do Activity 1.1 on p. 13 – Snake or
Lizard?

26. Day 2
Dichotomous Keys

27. Dichotomous Key
A two-part key used to identify living things.
The key is constructed so that a series of choices must be
made, and each choice leads to a new branch of the key.
If choices are made accurately, the end result is the name of
the organism being identified.

28. You're Turn
Smiley Face Dichotomous Key

29. Day 2 Work
Dichotomous Keys
– Smiley Face
– Shark Key
Read p. 13-15
Do p. 15 #1-11

30. Levels of Classification

31. The Seven Level System
Kingdom
Phylum
Class
Order
Family
Genus
Species
King
Phillip
Called
Oprah
For
Good
Spices

32. Kingdom/Phylum Mind Maps
Introduce Assignment
Read p. 24-29
Do p. 30 #1-10