Concept and use of a

classification system
Objectives:

• State that organisms can be classified into

groups by the features that they share
• Define species as a group of organisms that
can reproduce to produce fertile offspring
• Define and describe the binomial system of
naming species as an internationally agreed
system in which the scientific name of an
organism is made up of two parts showing
the genus and species
With an amazing
diversity of more than 2
million kinds of
organisms, there is a
need for
CLASSIFICATION.
What is a species?

• a groups of organisms that can reproduce

fertile offspring
The History of Classification

Early Systems of Classification

▪ Biologists use a
system of
classification to
organize
information about
the diversity of
living things.
Linnaeus’s System
▪ Linnaeus’s system of classification was the
first formal system of taxonomy.

Perching bird

Bird of prey Wading bird

Binomial system of naming species
▪ internationally agreed system in which the
scientific name of an organism is made up of
two parts
▪ The first part is the genus name, and the
second part is the specific name, that
identifies the species.
▪ Example: the stoat
and weasel are
both in the genus
Mustela but they
are different
species; the stoat is
Mustela erminea
and the weasel is
Mustela nivalis.
▪ When writing a scientific name, scientists use these
rules:
▪ The first letter of the genus name always is
capitalized, but the rest of the genus name
and all letters of the specific name are
lowercase.
▪ If a scientific name is written in a printed book
or magazine, it should be italicized.
• When a scientific name is written by hand,
both parts of the name should be
underlined.
• After the scientific name has been written
completely, the genus name will be
abbreviated to the first letter in later
appearances (e.g., C. cardinalis).
Review: Why do we have to classify
organisms?
• to identify those at risk of extinction
• to understand evolutionary relationships
What are the kinds of evidence used to
organize organisms?
• based on studies of morphology (the study of the
form, or appearance of organisms) and anatomy
(the study of their internal structure, revealed by
dissection)
Characters
▪ To classify a species, scientists construct
patterns of descent by using characters.
▪ Characters can be morphological or
biochemical.
Morphological Characters
▪ Shared morphological characters suggest that
species are related closely and evolved from a
recent common ancestor.
▪ Analogous characters are those that have
the same function but different underlying
construction.
▪ Homologous characters might perform different
functions, but show an anatomical similarity
inherited from a common ancestor.
 Mammalian forelimbs: homologous structures.

Humerus

Radius
Ulna

Carpals
Metacarpals
Phalanges

Human Cat Whale Bat

Birds and Dinosaurs
▪ Compare birds and dinosaurs:
▪ Hollow bones
Haliaeetus leucocephalus
▪ Theropods have leg,
wrist, hip, and shoulder
structures similar to birds.
▪ Some theropods may
have had feathers.

Oviraptor philoceratops
Biochemical Characters
▪ chemical which forms genes is called DNA
▪ made up of a sequence of bases, coding for amino
acids and proteins
▪ each species has a distinct number of
chromosomes and a unique sequence of bases in its
DNA
▪ The similar appearance of chromosomes among
chimpanzees,
gorillas, and
orangutans
suggests a
shared
ancestry.
Human and primate evolution is an example
of how DNA has been used to clarify a
process of evolution.
• Traditional classification of primates
(monkeys, apes and humans) based on their
anatomy, particularly their bones and teeth,
put humans on a separate branch
• genetic evidence using DNA provides a
different insight – humans are more closely
related to chimpanzees (1.2% difference in
the genome – the complete set of genetic
material of the organism)
 Cladistics

• a system of taxonomy that reconstructs

phylogenies based on shared characters
• used to determine the sequence in which different
groups of organisms evolved
▪ Two main types of characters when doing
cladistic analysis.
Ancestral character
▪ found within the entire line of descent of a group
of organisms.
Derived characters
▪ present members of one group of the line but not
in the common ancestor
 Cladogram
• shows a sequence in
which different groups of
organisms evolved
• key to Cladistics is
identifying
morphological,
physiological, molecular,
or behavioral traits that
differ among the
organism being studied
How to Make a Cladogram
 Activity: Digital Slide Show
• By groups, put together a digital slide show
of the classification of a species of your
choice. You should prepare a visual
hierarchy similar to Figure 1.3 on the next
slide, with notes on the characteristics of
each level. Select species from several
different orders so that you will learn the
different branches of the tree of life as you
view each other’s presentations.
 ACTIVITY : Classification Chart

• Make classification chart to differentiate the

groups of organisms.