Taxonomy and Systematics
Taxonomy
• the science of classifying organisms.
• From ‘taxon’, which means any named grouping of organisms.
A taxonomist looks at the diversity of organisms in time and space and looks at spatial
and temporal characteristics of organisms, the when and where they lived, and try to
understand how they came to be.
Systematics
• the combination p-of taxonomy, phylogeny, and biogeography.
Evolution and Classification
• Carolus Linnaeus
• Early History: Aristotle recognized 550 kinds of animals. In 16th century, over
6000 species of plants and 4000 species of animals were classified. Grouped by
_________, properties of their ecology, and physical characteristics.
• Linnaeus recognized that the most fundamental property of plants occurs in
reproductive structures, particularly flowers. Published Species Plantarum in
1752.
Linnaeus System of Classification (later outdated)
1. Each species is given a binomen, consisting of genus name and trivial name
indicating the species. (binomen – two-part name. Genus is genera in plural,
always capitalized. Species is italicized or underlined but never capitalized.)
2. The trivial name can never stand by itself but must always accompany its genus.
(You can never classify an organism with just the trivial name.)
3. The genus name can never be used for any other organism in the animal
kingdom. (This is to avoid confusion. Ex. Leptodus americanus and Dictyoclostus
americanus)
4. Genera are grouped into higher categories, such as family, orders, classes,
phyla, and kingdoms.
Reasons for success: Flexible, Expandable, Latinized
Flexible – groups can be hierarchically created with higher groups.
Taxonomy
• the science of classifying organisms.
• From ‘taxon’, which means any named grouping of organisms.
A taxonomist looks at the diversity of organisms in time and space and looks at spatial
and temporal characteristics of organisms, the when and where they lived, and try to
understand how they came to be.
Systematics
• the combination p-of taxonomy, phylogeny, and biogeography.
Evolution and Classification
• Carolus Linnaeus
• Early History: Aristotle recognized 550 kinds of animals. In 16th century, over
6000 species of plants and 4000 species of animals were classified. Grouped by
_________, properties of their ecology, and physical characteristics.
• Linnaeus recognized that the most fundamental property of plants occurs in
reproductive structures, particularly flowers. Published Species Plantarum in
1752.
Linnaeus System of Classification (later outdated)
1. Each species is given a binomen, consisting of genus name and trivial name
indicating the species. (binomen – two-part name. Genus is genera in plural,
always capitalized. Species is italicized or underlined but never capitalized.)
2. The trivial name can never stand by itself but must always accompany its genus.
(You can never classify an organism with just the trivial name.)
3. The genus name can never be used for any other organism in the animal
kingdom. (This is to avoid confusion. Ex. Leptodus americanus and Dictyoclostus
americanus)
4. Genera are grouped into higher categories, such as family, orders, classes,
phyla, and kingdoms.
Reasons for success: Flexible, Expandable, Latinized
Flexible – groups can be hierarchically created with higher groups.
