The classifying of organisms into groups based on similarities.

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Taxonomy is a way of organizing living things in a very simple manner

Taxonomy

As you classify, start with the organism you are given and start from the largest classification possible (Domain) to the smallest classification possible (Species).

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Not every diagram is the same, make sure to read!

​Continuing Classifying

The largest, broadest level of classification of organisms. This level includes the most living things within it - Thus being the MOST INCLUSIVE level.

There are 3 different Domains.

• Eukarya (Eukaryotes - Have a nucleus)

• ​Prokarya (a.k.a. - Bacteria) (Prokaryotes - Do not have a nucleus)

• Archaea​ (Oldest living lifeforms)

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​Domain is the only level that has been added as an extra level.

Domain

The next level down from Domain is Kingdom. There are 6 total kingdoms.

4 of the Kingdoms are under Domain Eukarya.

They are:

• Animalia (Animals)

• Plantae (Plants)

• Fungi (Fungus - Mushrooms, yeasts, molds)

• ​Protista (Protists)

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The other two kingdoms are Eubacteria under the Prokarya Domain, Archaebacteria under the Archaea Domain.

Kingdom

Species the smallest, narrowest level of classification possible. It is the level that is reached when there are the fewest possible amount of organisms left to be classified. Thus it is the LEAST INCLUSIVE level of classification.

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Species includes ONLY ONE ORGANISM as the organism has been completely classified when this level is reached.

​Species

This is the Swedish biologist responsible for creating the Taxonomy system we know today.

He created this system because the system that existed beforehand actually made no sense, and did not actually organize, but just threw scientific names at an organism that sounded good.​

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​His motto that he created and lived by was, "God created, Linnaeus organized".​

Carl Linnaeus

1. Puts organisms into groups based on their similarities, like:

   1. How do they eat?

   2. How do they move?

   3. Where do they live?

      and many more questions

2. It links organisms to see how closely related they are to other organisms.

3. Makes the of Scientific Names neat and understandable by all.

How would you feel if you walked into a Walmart, and everything was just everywhere?

​Why do we classify?

Scientific Names involve using the GENUS and SPECIES of an organism's organization levels. The first name is its Genus, and its second name is its Species. This is also known as BINOMIAL NOMENCLATURE.​

(Bi means Two, Nom-/nome/nomen means name, -clature means system​)

So Binomial Nomenclature means "Two-Name Naming System"​

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Scientific Naming

​The scientific name is written in the language of Latin, in the font of Italics, with the first letter of the Genus name being the only capitalized letter.

​This is the tool used to help classify organisms. They usually are used by looking at physical traits and following a whole path of yes or no questions down until an organism's name is reached.

Dichotomous Key