Describe the characteristics used in hierarchial classification of organisms.
Describe the characteristics used in hierarchial classification of organisms.
The linnaean system of classification consists of a hierarchy of graded taxonomic (named) ranks that are called as taxa. Any given taxon (singular) may contain several lower taxa, which can be usually distinguished based on certain common characteristics. Such lower ranks may in turn be divided into a succession of progressively smaller ranks. The lower the rank of a group, the more similar are the organisms grouped in it. If any two given organisms can be grouped under the same lower rank or taxon, it implies that the two organisms can be grouped under the same lower rank or taxon, it implies that the two organisms are structurally, functionally, embryologically similar and that they have had a comparable evolutionary history.
Within the living world as a whole, the biggest taxonomic rank is kingdom. The next higher rank within a kingdom is the Phylum or Division. It is customary to use the term phylum for major groups in the animal kingdom and the term division for major groups in the plant kingdom. The phylum or division is a broad grouping of more or less closely related organisms, sharing certain common Characteristics.
Each phylum or division has the next taxon called Class. The members of each class exhibit certain distinguishing characters that are unique only to them.
In the same way, using comparable criteria of similarities and relationships, each class can be divided into orders, each order into families, each family into genera and each genus into species. Species is normally the basic or fundamental unit of classification. A species is therefore the narrowest taxonomic category and kingdom is the broadest category in the Linnaean hierarchy. A typical Linnaean hierarchy has seven taxa represented as follows:
The linnaean system of classification consists of a hierarchy of graded taxonomic (named) ranks that are called as taxa. Any given taxon (singular) may contain several lower taxa, which can be usually distinguished based on certain common characteristics. Such lower ranks may in turn be divided into a succession of progressively smaller ranks. The lower the rank of a group, the more similar are the organisms grouped in it. If any two given organisms can be grouped under the same lower rank or taxon, it implies that the two organisms can be grouped under the same lower rank or taxon, it implies that the two organisms are structurally, functionally, embryologically similar and that they have had a comparable evolutionary history.
Within the living world as a whole, the biggest taxonomic rank is kingdom. The next higher rank within a kingdom is the Phylum or Division. It is customary to use the term phylum for major groups in the animal kingdom and the term division for major groups in the plant kingdom. The phylum or division is a broad grouping of more or less closely related organisms, sharing certain common Characteristics.
Each phylum or division has the next taxon called Class. The members of each class exhibit certain distinguishing characters that are unique only to them.
In the same way, using comparable criteria of similarities and relationships, each class can be divided into orders, each order into families, each family into genera and each genus into species. Species is normally the basic or fundamental unit of classification. A species is therefore the narrowest taxonomic category and kingdom is the broadest category in the Linnaean hierarchy. A typical Linnaean hierarchy has seven taxa represented as follows:
