

There are millions and millions

of species, so classifying
organisms into proper categories
can be a difficult task. To make it
easier for all scientists to do, a
classification system had to be
developed.
Linnaean Classification

The evolution of life on Earth over the past 4
billion years has resulted in a huge variety of
species. For more than 2,000 years, humans
have been trying to classify the great
diversity of life.
The science of classifying organisms is
called taxonomy. Classification is an
important step in understanding the present
diversity and past evolutionary history of life
on Earth.
Linnaean Classification

All modern classification systems have their
roots in the Linnaean classification system.
It was developed by Swedish botanist
Carolus Linnaeus in the 1700s. He tried to
classify all living things that were known at
his time. He grouped together organisms that
shared obvious physical traits, such as
number of legs or shape of leaves. For his
contribution, Linnaeus is known as the
“father of taxonomy.”
 Linnaean Classification

The Linnaean system


of classification
consists of a hierarchy
of groupings,
called taxa(singular,
taxon).
Taxa range from the
kingdom to the
species.
 Linnaean Classification
The kingdom is the 
largest and most
inclusive grouping.
It consists of
organisms that
share just a few
basic similarities.
Examples are the
plant and animal
kingdoms.
 Linnaean Classification
The species is the

smallest and most
exclusive grouping. It
consists of organisms
that are similar
enough to produce
fertile offspring
together. Closely
related species are
grouped together in
a genus.
 Binomial Nomenclature

Perhaps the single greatest contribution
Linnaeus made to science was his method of
naming species. This method, called binomial
nomenclature, gives each species a unique,
two-word Latin name consisting of the genus
name and the species name.
An example is Homo sapiens, the two-word
Latin name for humans. It literally means “wise
human.” This is a reference to our big brains.
 Linnaeus’s System of
Classification

Linnaeus’s system of classification
uses seven taxa, which are
arranged in logical order from the
most general (kingdom) to the
most specific (species): kingdom,
phylum, class, order, family,
genus, and species.
 Linnaeus’s System of
Classification

 In interpreting the taxon hierarchy, the similarity
among organisms is inversely proportional to the
number of species.
 Kingdom

 The largest and most inclusive among the Linnaean
taxa. During Linnaeus’s time, he only classified two
kingdoms, namely, Kingdom Animalia and
Kingdom Plantae. This taxon has the greatest variety
of organisms. Kingdoms deal with the main division
where all organisms on Earth are classified. It
includes the following: eubacteria, archaebacteria,
fungi, plants, and animals. The classification of this
taxon is based mainly on structure. Kingdoms
consist of different phyla.
 Phylum

Kingdoms are made up of different phyla
(singular: phylum).
Phylum is one of the major taxa used in
classifying organisms. This taxon includes many
different organisms that share important
characteristics, which include their body plans.
For example, Phylum Chordata is composed of
different organisms with vertebrae. This Phylum
consists of one or more similar classes. The word
division is a counterpart of phylum, which is more
commonly used in plants.
 Class

A class is a subdivision of a phylum. It is a
taxon that broadly includes the major
organisms that are distinct from other
organisms internally and externally.
For example, Class Mammalia includes
animals that are warm-blooded, can
produce milk for their young, and have
body hair.
A class is composed of similar orders.
 Order

An order is a board taxon composed of
a number of similar families. In this
taxon, organisms are generally classified
based on their characteristics.
Animals are classified as carnivores,
herbivores, or primates.
 Family

A family is a taxon that includes
one of more genera that share a
common phylogenetic origin. This
consists of a number of genera
with similar characters. This
designates a category of
classification that is fairly precise.
 Genus

A genus is a taxon that
includes one or more species
with common phylogenetic
traits. This is used as the first
part of the scientific name.
 Species

The species is the basic unit of
classification. This is used as
the specific epithet in the
scientific name. This taxon is
made up of organisms that can
both interbreed and produce
fertile offspring.
 Revisions in Linnaean
Classification

Linnaeus published his classification
system in the 1700s. Since then, many
new species have been discovered. The
biochemistry of many organisms has
also become known. Eventually,
scientists realized that Linnaeus’s
system of classification needed
revision.
 Revisions in Linnaean
Classification

A major change to the
Linnaean system was the
addition of a new taxon
called the domain.
 Revisions in Linnaean
Classification

 A domain is a taxon that is larger and more inclusive than the
kingdom. Most biologists agree there are three domains of life on
Earth: Bacteria, Archaea, and Eukaryota
 Revisions in Linnaean
Classification

Both Bacteria and
Archaea consist of single-celled
prokaryotes. Eukaryota consists
of all eukaryotes, from single-
celled protists to humans.
 Three Domain System

Domain Bacteria includes Kingdom
Eubacteria
Domain Archaea includes Kingdom
Archaebacteria
Domain Eukarya includes Kingdoms
Plantae, Protista, Animalia, and
Fungi
 Domain Bacteria

 The members of Domain Bacteria are the organisms under
Kingdom Eubacteria. They are unicellular, prokaryotic
organisms. They have thick and rigid cell walls composed
of a substance known as peptidoglycan. The organisms
under this domain are ecologically diverse—they can be
found in the soil, the atmosphere, your intestines, and
even on your skin. Some can produce food through
photosynthesis. Some of them thrive in the presence of
oxygen. Most are beneficial to humans, but some are
harmful and pathogenic. Escherichia coli, a representative
organism under this domain.
 Domain Archaea

 Members under Domain Archaea include Kingdom
Archaebacteria. Like the organisms under Domain
Bacteria, all of its members are unicellular and
prokaryotic. They have cell walls that lack peptidoglycan,
and their cell membranes have lipids that are not found in
other organisms. Members of this domain live in extreme
environments such as volcanic hot springs, brine pools,
black organic mud, and even Dead Sea. Many of the
organisms under Domain Archaea thrive under
conditions without oxygen. Some of these organisms also
create their own food through photosynthesis.
 Domain Eukarya

Domain Eukarya derives its name
from the eukaryotic cells of the
organisms included in this domain.
Being eukaryotic is the main feature
that unites Kingdoms Protista, Fungi,
Plantae, and Animalia into this
domain.
Kingdom Examples: Six
Biological Classifications

Each kingdom is then divided into
subcategories, or phyla. These
kingdom examples make up a
classification system for all living
things on Earth.
 Kingdom Animalia

 Members of the kingdom Animalia are eukaryotic
organisms. They reproduce sexually or asexually through
parthenogenesis. When you think of an animal, you’re
probably thinking of organisms from the phylum Chordata,
but there are many more!
Animals in the kingdom Animalia are organized into seven phyla:
 Annelida (worms, leeches)
 Arthropoda (insects, spiders, crustaceans)
 Chordata (mammals, fish, reptiles, birds)
 Cnidaria (jellyfish, anemone, corals)
 Mollusca (octopuses, squid, cuttlefish)
 Platyhelminthes (flatworms, tapeworms, flukes)
 Porifera (freshwater sponges, sea sponges)
 Kingdom Plantae

 The kingdom Plantae includes all plants. Like all members of the
kingdom Animalia, these organisms are eukaryotic and may
reproduce sexually or by mitosis. If it’s alive, has more than one
cell, and uses the sun for energy through photosynthesis, it
belongs in the kingdom Plantae.

The four main phyla in the kingdom Plantae are:

Angiospermorphyta (flowers, fruit trees,vegetables)
Bryophyta (mosses, hornworts, liverworts)
Coniferophyta or Pinophyta (pine trees, fir trees, redwood)
Filicinophyta (ferns)
 Kingdom Fungi

 Fungi in the kingdom Fungi are also eukaryotic organisms.
They reproduce sexually and asexually by producing spores.

There are five phyla in the kingdom Fungi, which include:

 Ascomycota (truffles, morels, yeasts)
 Basidiomycota (mushrooms, puffballs, jelly fungi)
 Chytridiomycota (water molds, chytrids)
 Glomeromycota (tree fungi; for example, arbuscular
mycorrhizas)
 Zygomycota (bread molds, mucorales)
 Kingdom Protista

 The kingdom Protista consists of any eukaryotic organism
that isn’t an animal, plant or fungus. They only reproduce
asexually or via meiosis. These organisms are also
autotrophs, which don’t need to feed on other forms of life
for sustenance.

The kingdom Protista has 45 phyla, which can be divided into

the following types:
 Protozoa - the animal-like protists (amoebae, euglena)
 Protophyta - the plant-like protists (algae, lichens)
 Molds - (slime molds, water molds)
 Kingdom Archaea

 Organisms in the kingdom Archaea (previously called the
kingdom Archaebacteria) are prokaryotic, which means that
they do not have nuclei. These single-celled microorganisms
use asexual reproduction by binary fission.

The five main phyla in the kingdom Archaea are:

 Crenarchaeota - (thermophiles, psychrophiles)
 Euryarchaeota - (halophiles, methanogens)
 Korarchaeota - (Korarchaeum Cryptofilum)
 Nanoarchaeota - (Nanoarchaeum)
 Thaumarchaeota - (Cenarchaeum symbiosum,
Nitrosopumilus maritimus)
 Kingdom Bacteria

 The final kingdom is the kingdom Bacteria, sometimes known as the
kingdom Eubacteria. It includes all types of bacteria, which are biologically
different from archaea. Bacteria are one-celled prokaryotic organisms that
reproduce asexually. The kingdom includes a range of 40-100 phyla, with
many more proposed phyla.

The kingdom Bacteria is typically grouped into the following superphyla:

 Actinobacteria
 Candidate Phyla Radiation
 Cyanobacteria
 Microgenmates
 Parcubacteria
 Patescibacteria
 Planctobactera
 Proteobacteria
 Sphingobacteria
 Terrabacteria
