Classification

AFGenerale

Classification of Organisms

1735

Swedish naturalist

First to document and

classify organisms into groups

Was able to recognize

12 000 different species

Later, the field was termed “TAXONOMY”

Carolus Linnaeus

Taxonomy
is the science of

classifying
organisms.

How and when did classification began?

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is the broadest level of classification?

a) Species

b) Genus

c) Order

d) Kingdom

• a

• b

• c

• d

Multiple Choice

Which level of classification is the most specific?

a) Class

b) Family

c) Phylum

d) Species

• a

• b

• c

• d

the classification system

The Binomial System

- Gives a scientific and species name to organisms
- Makes identification more accurate

Genus
name

Species
group
+

=

Scientific/species

name

Canis

Familiaris

Canis familiaris

Can be

abbreviated

into:

C. familiaris

Multiple Choice

What is the role of the genus in the binomial system of nomenclature?

a) It represents the species

b) It represents the family

c) It represents the kingdom

d) It represents the order

• a

• b

• c

• d

Multiple Choice

What is the purpose of the binomial system of nomenclature?

a) To provide a unique name for each species

b) To group organisms based on their physical characteristics

c) To determine the evolutionary relationships between organisms

d) All of the above

• a

• b

• c

• d

How are species accurately
identified & classified?

-through genetic analysis

Multiple Choice

Which level of classification is immediately above the species?

a) Genus

b) Family

c) Order

d) Phylum

• a

• b

• c

• d

What is a “genus”?

Genus
Danaus

- Larger grouping of highly similar
but not the same species.

Danaus flexippus

Danaus dorippus

Danaus gilippus

Danaus ismare

What is a “family”?

Family
Nymphalidae

-

A group above genus

Genus Danaus

Genus Heliconius

Family Felidae

Acinonyx jubatus
Puma
concolor

Neofelis
nebulosa

Panthera

tigris

Panthera

onca

Panthera

uncia

Panthera leo
Panthera

pardus

What is an “order”?

Order
Lepidoptera

-

Larger group above family

Birds of Prey

Order
Falconiformes

What is a “class”?

Class Insecta
(insects)

-

Larger group above
order

Birds

Class Aves

Orders under Class Aves

What is a “phylum”?

Phylum
Arthropoda

-

Larger group above class

-

Usually grouped according to general
body feature & composition

Crustaceans

Insects

Arachnids

Myriapods

Shared feature:
*external covering
(exoskeleton)

Phylum Vertebrates

What is a “kingdom”?

Kingdom
Animalia

-

Larger group above phylum

-

Grouping is based on body
characteristics, nutrition, cell
features

Animals

Recap:
The scientific name of an organism is also its species name.

genus name + species grouping = scientific/species name

The levels of classification from
most inclusive to least inclusive
are:

kingdom
phylum

class
order
family
genus
species

•Made of Many Cells
(multicellular)

•Most can move around

•Feed on other organisms

•Made of Many Cells
(multicellular)

•Rooted to the ground

•Feed by photosynthesis

•Made of Many Cells
(multicellular), some are only
one cell (unicellular)

•Rooted to their source of food

•Feed by absorbing nutrients
from dead organisms

•Made of only one cell
(unicellular)

•Lives on water

•Very small

•They can swim around

•Some can photosynthesize

•Some can eat other
organisms

•Made of only one cell
(unicellular)

•Lives everywhere on Earth

•Very small

•Some can swim around

•Feed by absorbing nutrients
from their surrounding
THE FIVE KINGDOMS OF LIVING THINGS

Multiple Choice

Which kingdom is characterized by organisms that have specialized tissues and organs?

a) Monera

b) Protista

c) Animalia

d) Fungi

• a

• b

• c

• d

Kingdom Animalia Profile:

1. All members are
multicellular.

Kingdom Animalia Profile:

2. Cells: have nucleus but
no chloroplasts & cell wall.

Kingdom Animalia Profile:

3. Feed on organic
substances from other living
organisms

Kingdom Animalia Profile:

4. Mostly motile (capable of
visible movement)

Kingdom Animalia Profile:

5. Diverse body morphology

Kingdom Animalia Major Groups

Major Phyla

Phylum

Arthropods

Phylum
Annelids

Phylum

Nematodes

Phylum
Molluscs

Phylum

Vertebrates

Phylum

Echinoderms

Kingdom Animalia Major Groups

Major Phyla

Phylum

Arthropods

Crustaceans

Insects

Arachnids
Myriapods

Kingdom Animalia Major Groups

Major Phyla

Phylum
Annelids

Kingdom Animalia Major Groups

Major Phyla

Phylum

Nematodes

Kingdom Animalia Major Groups

Major Phyla

Phylum
Molluscs

Kingdom Animalia Major Groups

Major Phyla

Phylum

Echidoderms

Multiple Choice

Which kingdom contains organisms that are multicellular and heterotrophic?

a) Animalia

b) Plantae

c) Fungi

d) Protista

• a

• b

• c

• d

Kingdom Animalia Major Groups

Major Phyla

Phylum

Vertebrates

Five Classes:

Multiple Choice

Which kingdom contains organisms that are autotrophic and absorb nutrients from their environment?

a) Fungi

b) Animalia

c) Plantae

d) Monera

• a

• b

• c

• d

Kingdom Plantae

Profile:
1. multicellular
2. Cells have nucleus, cell
walls (made of cellulose)
and chloroplasts
3. Feed by photosynthesis
4. Main body parts:

roots, stems, leaves

Kingdom Plantae Profile:

1. All members are
multicellular.

Kingdom Animalia Profile:

2. Cells: have nucleus,
chloroplasts & cell wall
made of cellulose.

Kingdom Animalia Profile:

3. Acquire food by
photosynthesis

Kingdom Animalia Profile:

4. Uniform morphology: roots,
stem, leaves

Kingdom Plantae

5 Main Phyla:

1. Angiosperms
(flowering plants)

2. Gymnosperms

(non- flowering plants)

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is a characteristic of animals but NOT plants?

a) Photosynthesis

b) Heterotrophic nutrition

c) Cellulose cell wall

d) Vascular tissue

• a

• b

• c

• d

Kingdom Plantae

5 Main Phyla:

3. Pteridophytes
(ferns, horsetails)

4. Bryophytes

(moss, liverworts, hornworts)

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is a feature of plant cells but NOT animal cells?

a) Centrioles

b) Cellulose cell wall

c) Nucleus

d) Mitochondria

• a

• b

• c

• d

Kingdom Plantae

5 Main Phyla:

5. Chlorophyta

(algae, seaweed, kelp)

Multiple Choice

Which kingdom contains organisms that are heterotrophic and feed on dead or decaying matter?

a) Protista

b) Fungi

c) Animalia

d) Plantae

• a

• b

• c

• d

Kingdom Fungi

Profile:
1. Usually multicellular
2. Have nucleus but no

chloroplast

3. Have cell walls made

of chitin

Kingdom Fungi Profile:

4. Nutrition:
● saphrophytism (living on dead bodies)
● parasitism (living on and harming

living bodies)

Saprophytic fungus

Parasitic fungus

Kingdom Fungi

2 Main Phyla:

1. Basidiomycota

(mushrooms)

2. Ascomycota

(molds and yeasts)

Multiple Choice

Which kingdom contains organisms that are single-celled and eukaryotic?

a) Monera

b) Protista

c) Animalia

d) Plantae

• a

• b

• c

• d

Multiple Choice

Which kingdom contains organisms that are eukaryotic and have cell walls made of chitin?

a) Plantae

b) Animalia

c) Fungi

d) Protista

• a

• b

• c

• d

Kingdom Protoctista

Very small organisms that live in water

Kingdom Protoctista Profile:

Protoctists vs Plants, fungi, bacteria &
Animals

Protoctists vs Plants:
Can photosynthesize but are unicellular.

Protoctists vs Fungi:
Can absorb organic substances but can only
live in moist environments.

Protoctists vs Bacteria:
Unicellular but contains nucleus whereas
bacteria don’t.

Protoctists vs Fungi:
Can move but are
unicellular.

Kingdom Protoctista

3 Main Phyla:

1. Protozoans

(euglena, paramecium, amoeba)

2. Diatoms

3. Phytoplankton

Multiple Choice

Which kingdom contains organisms that are made up of prokaryotic cells?

a) Monera

b) Plantae

c) Animalia

d) Fungi

• a

• b

• c

• d

Multiple Choice

Which kingdom includes organisms that obtain nutrients by decomposing organic matter?

a) Animalia

b) Plantae

c) Protista

d) Fungi

• a

• b

• c

• d

Kingdom Prokaryotes

• Smallest organisms.
• They absorb food from their

environment.

• They can cause disease to

other organisms

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of prokaryotes?

a) They have a nucleus.

b) They are unicellular.

c) They lack membrane-bound organelles.

d) They have a cell wall.

• a

• b

• c

• d

Kingdom Prokaryotes

Shapes:

Are Viruses Organisms?

They are not normally considered to
be alive. On their own, they don’t
possess the 7 characteristics.

Multiple Choice

What is the outer protein coat of a virus called?

a) Capsid

b) Envelope

c) Nucleus

d) Plasmid

• a

• b

• c

• d

Multiple Choice

Which kingdom contains organisms that are unicellular and lack a true nucleus?

a) Monera

b) Protista

c) Fungi

d) Plantae

• a

• b

• c

• d

How does a virus get to become
living-like?

Multiple Choice

What is the genetic material in virus ?

a) DNA

b) RNA

c) Both DNA and RNA can be found in bacteria.

• a

• b

• c

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of plants?

a) Multicellular organization

b) Autotrophic nutrition

c) Cell wall made of chitin

d) Presence of chloroplasts

• a

• b

• c

• d

Recap:

The 7 Characteristics
of Living things are:

1. movement
2. respiration
3. sensitivity
4. growth
5. reproduction
6. nutrition
7. excretion

The Five Kingdoms of Life:

1. Kingdom Animals
2. Kingdom Plants
3. Kingdom Fungi

4. Kingdom Protoctista
5. Kingdom Prokaryotes

The levels of classification from
most inclusive to least inclusive
are:

kingdom
phylum

class
order
family
genus
species

The 5 Classes under Phylum Vertebrates

Characteristics:

● Moist Scales

-
Protects fish from
predators and parasites

-
Overlapping pattern for
flexible covering

1. Class Fish

The 5 Classes under Phylum Vertebrates

Characteristics:

● Gills

-
Main organ for breathing

-
They gulp water and let
it pass through the
bristles of their gills

1. Class Fish

The 5 Classes under Phylum Vertebrates

How gills work

The 5 Classes under Phylum Vertebrates

Characteristics:

● Fins

-
Gives them a
streamlined body,
adapted for swimming

1. Class Fish

The 5 Classes under Phylum Vertebrates

Characteristics:

● Swim bladder

-
Makes fish buoyant
and able to easily
float or sink

1. Class Fish

The 5 Classes under Phylum Vertebrates

Characteristics:

● Lay jelly-like eggs

-
Must be kept moist

1. Class Fish

Multiple Choice

Which class of animals includes organisms that have a three-chambered heart and lay leathery eggs?

a) Mammalia

b) Aves

c) Reptilia

d) Amphibia

• a

• b

• c

• d

The 5 Classes under Phylum Vertebrates

● Lives halfway between

land and water

● Generally have 4 limbs

● Cold-blooded

(ectothermic)

● Lay jelly-like eggs

2. Class
Amphibians

The 5 Classes under Phylum Vertebrates

● Major Groups:
2. Class
Amphibians

Salamanders

Frogs

The 5 Classes under Phylum Vertebrates

Characteristics:

● Moist, scale-less skin

2. Class
Amphibians

-
Moisture is from the mucus
they secrete

-
Helps absorb oxygen from
the environment

The 5 Classes under Phylum Vertebrates

Characteristics:

●

Lay eggs in water, larva
(tadpole) lives in water

●

But live as adults on land

2. Class
Amphibians

The 5 Classes under Phylum Vertebrates

Characteristics:

● Lay jelly-like eggs

2. Class
Amphibians

The 5 Classes under Phylum Vertebrates

Characteristics:

● Adult mainly lives on

land

2. Class
Amphibians

The 5 Classes under Phylum Vertebrates

Characteristics:

● Larva has gills adults

has lungs

2. Class
Amphibians

The 5 Classes under Phylum Vertebrates

● Scaly organisms which

can live both in land and
water (depending on
species)

● have 4 limbs (except

snakes)

● Cold-blooded

(ectothermic)

3. Class Reptiles

The 5 Classes under Phylum Vertebrates

● Major Groups
3. Class Reptiles

Snakes

Lizards

Crocodiles

Turtles

The 5 Classes under Phylum Vertebrates

Characteristics:

● Dry scaly skin

-
For protection
and movement

3. Class Reptiles

The 5 Classes under Phylum Vertebrates

Characteristics:

● Lay eggs on land

-
Eggs have shells to
prevent drying out

3. Class Reptiles

The 5 Classes under Phylum Vertebrates

Characteristics:

● Lay eggs with

rubbery shells

3. Class Reptiles

The 5 Classes under Phylum Vertebrates

Special Characteristics:

● Turtles and Tortoises

have carapace

3. Class Reptiles

The 5 Classes under Phylum Vertebrates

Special Characteristics:

● Many snake species

contain

● venoms

3. Class Reptiles

Multiple Choice

Which class of animals includes organisms that have feathers and lay eggs?

a) Mammalia

b) Aves

c) Reptilia

d) Amphibia

• a

• b

• c

• d

The 5 Classes under Phylum Vertebrates

● Have 2 Wings, scaly

legs and bodies covered
with feathers

● Lays eggs with hard

shells

4. Class Birds

The 5 Classes under Phylum Vertebrates

● Some major groups:
4. Class Birds

Birds of Prey

Seed-eaters

Seabirds

Flightless

birds

The 5 Classes under Phylum Vertebrates

Characteristics:

● Body covered with

feathers

-
Helps in insulation and
flight

4. Class Birds

*Colorful feathers help in courtship
and attracting mates

The 5 Classes under Phylum Vertebrates

Characteristics:

● Forelimbs became

wings

-
To enable flight

4. Class Birds

The 5 Classes under Phylum Vertebrates

Characteristics:

● Lay eggs with hard

shells

4. Class Birds

The 5 Classes under Phylum Vertebrates

Characteristics:

● Have beaks

-
For collecting food

4. Class Birds

The 5 Classes under Phylum Vertebrates

Characteristics:

● Hearts has four

chambers

-
To allow double
circulation

4. Class Birds

Comparison of heart in animals

Ventricles

Atrium

The 5 Classes under Phylum Vertebrates

Special
Characteristics:

● Bones are hollow

-
Makes them lighter
to fly easier

4. Class Birds

The 5 Classes under Phylum Vertebrates

Special Characteristics:

● Generally construct

nests

4. Class Birds

The 5 Classes under Phylum Vertebrates

● Four-limbed vertebrates

covered in fur or hair

● Includes the most intelligent

species among animals

● Non-egg laying

● Warm-blooded

(endothermic)

5. Class Mammals

The 5 Classes under Phylum Vertebrates

● Some major groups:
5. Class Mammals

Placental
mammals

Marsupials

monotremes (egg-

laying)

The 5 Classes under Phylum Vertebrates

Characteristics:

● Body is covered with

fur or hair

-
Insulation and
protection from injury

5. Class Mammals

Multiple Choice

Which class of animals includes organisms that have a well-developed placenta and give live birth?

a) Mammalia

b) Aves

c) Reptilia

d) Amphibia

• a

• b

• c

• d

The 5 Classes under Phylum Vertebrates

Characteristics:

● Gives birth to live

young

-
Females have wombs
where babies develop

5. Class Mammals

I’m so
done with
this.

The 5 Classes under Phylum Vertebrates

Inside a mammal’s womb

placenta

Umbilical
cord

The 5 Classes under Phylum Vertebrates

Characteristics:

● Young feeds on

milk from
mammary glands
of females

5. Class Mammals

The 5 Classes under Phylum Vertebrates

Characteristics:

● Have four-chambered

hearts

5. Class Mammals

The 5 Classes under Phylum Vertebrates

Characteristics:

● Have different

types of teeth

5. Class Mammals

The 5 Classes under Phylum Vertebrates

Special Characteristics:

● Platypus is a beaked,

egg-laying mammal

5. Class Mammals

The 5 Classes under Phylum Vertebrates

Special
Characteristics:

● Bats are the only

mammals that can
fly

5. Class Mammals

Multiple Choice

Which class of animals includes organisms that have a segmented body, jointed appendages, and a hard exoskeleton?

a) Mammalia

b) Aves

c) Reptilia

d) Insecta

• a

• b

• c

• d

Phylum

Arthropods

● No backbone

(Invertebrates)

● Have several pairs of

jointed legs

● There are more kinds in

the world than all the
other kinds of animals
put together.

The 4 Classes under Phylum Arthropods

● Terrestrial (land-

dwelling) invertebrates
which can live in many
different types of
environments

1. Class Insects

The 4 Classes under Phylum Arthropods

● Some major groups:
1. Class Insects

The 4 Classes under Phylum Arthropods

Characteristics:

● Three pairs of jointed

legs

1. Class Insects

The 4 Classes under Phylum Arthropods

Characteristics:

● 3 body segments

-
Head, thorax,
abdomen

1. Class Insects

The 4 Classes under Phylum Arthropods

Characteristics:

● Two pairs of wings

-
The only winged
arthropods

-
Key to their success

1. Class Insects

Vestigial wings

The 4 Classes under Phylum Arthropods

Characteristics:

● They breathe through

● tracheae

1. Class Insects

Multiple Choice

Which class of arthropods includes animals with eight legs and two main body segments?

a) Arachnida

b) Crustacea

c) Diplopoda

d) Insecta

• a

• b

• c

• d

Multiple Choice

Which class of arthropods includes animals with three pairs of legs and two main body segments?

a) Arachnida

b) Crustacea

c) Diplopoda

d) Insecta

• a

• b

• c

• d

The 4 Classes under Phylum Arthropods

● Terrestrial invertebrates

with only 2 body
segments and no wings

● 8 legs

2. Arachnids

The 4 Classes under Phylum Arthropods

● Major groups:
2. Arachnids

The 4 Classes under Phylum Arthropods

Characteristics:

● Have four pairs of legs

2. Arachnids

The 4 Classes under Phylum Arthropods

Characteristics:

● Have only two body

segments

-
Cephalothorax,
abdomen

2. Arachnids

cephalothorax

abdomen

The 4 Classes under Phylum Arthropods

Characteristics:

● Breathe through gills

called book lungs

2. Arachnids

The 4 Classes under Phylum Arthropods

Special Characteristics:

● Includes many

poisonous, stinging
species

2. Arachnids

The 4 Classes under Phylum Arthropods

Special Characteristics:

● Spiders weave silky

webs to trap prey

2. Arachnids

The 4 Classes under Phylum Arthropods

● Aquatic (water-

dwelling)
invertebrates with
more than four pairs
of legs.

3. Crustaceans

The 4 Classes under Phylum Arthropods

● Major groups:
3. Crustaceans

The 4 Classes under Phylum Arthropods

characteristics

● Have 5 to 6 pairs of

legs

3. Crustaceans

The 4 Classes under Phylum Arthropods

characteristics

● Front pair of legs

turned to pincers

3. Crustaceans

The 4 Classes under Phylum Arthropods

characteristics

● Breathe through

●
gills

3. Crustaceans

The 4 Classes under Phylum Arthropods

● Terrestrial invertebrates

with long bodies and
many pairs of legs

4. Myriapods

millipede
s

centipede
s

The 4 Classes under Phylum Arthropods

Characteristics:

● Body consists of

many segments

4. Myriapods

Last Week’s Lesson Recap!

To which group does this animal belong to?

The 4 Classes under Phylum Arthropods

Characteristics:

● Each segment

has a pair of
jointed legs

4. Myriapods

Multiple Choice

Which class of arthropods includes animals with the largest number of known species?

a) Arachnida

b) Crustacea

c) Diplopoda

d) Insecta

• a

• b

• c

• d

CLASSIFYING PLANTS

The members of Kingdom Plants

Some Major Groups of the Animal Kingdom

Phylum Bryophytes

Mosses
Liverworts

Phylum Pteridophytes

Ferns
Horsetails

Phylum Gymnosperms

Pines
Palms

Phylum Angiosperms

Flowering plants

The 4 Classes under Phylum Arthropods

Characteristics:

● No true roots, they

have rhizoids

1. Mosses

The 4 Classes under Phylum Arthropods

Characteristics:

● Prefers moist

environments

● Absorbs water

through their
leaves

1. Mosses

The 4 Classes under Phylum Arthropods

Characteristics:

● Have true roots.

● Reproduce by

spores

2. Ferns

The 4 Classes under Phylum Arthropods

Characteristics:

● Prefers high

humidity
environments

2. Ferns

The 4 Classes under Phylum Arthropods

Characteristics:

● Reproduce

sexually by
means of flowers
and seeds

3. Flowering Plants

The 4 Classes under Phylum Arthropods

Characteristics:

● Can utilize other

organisms for
reproduction
(pollination)

3. Flowering Plants

The 4 Classes under Phylum Arthropods

2 main groups:

● 1. Monocots

● 2. Dicots

3. Flowering Plants

Seed Structure Differences

The 4 Classes under Phylum Arthropods

3. Flowering Plants

Leaf Veins Differences

Dicot

Monocot

Network of
branching

veins

Parallel,

unbranching

veins

The 4 Classes under Phylum Arthropods

3. Flowering Plants

Root System Differences

Dicot

Monocot

Has a main

root.

Highly branched.

The 4 Classes under Phylum Arthropods

3. Flowering Plants
Flower Differences

or more

DICHOTOMOUS KEY
• Or: Binomial Key / Identification Key
• A guide on how to identify an organisms based on its

morphology

left side

Two descriptions
given for you to
choose from.

right side

1. Number of item for succeeding
descriptions to follow.

2. Name of organism (common
name/scientific name/species
name)

DICHOTOMOUS KEYS

• Example:

Alienus
quadlegicus

Alienus blobicus

Alienus fuzzicus

Alienus stripicus

Alienus
tritoothicus

Alienus hairicus

It’s as simple as answering yes or no.

VERTEBRATES

Reptile
Bird
Mammal
Fish
Amphibian

DICHOTOMOUS KEYS

Magnoli
a

Walnut

Elm

Pine

Spruce

White
Oak

Chesnu
t
Holly