• The organisation of living things into groups according to their similarities
  • This is the phylogenetic hierarchy

Domain (below kingdom)

  • Highest taxonomic rank
  • 3 domains
    • Archea
    • Eubacteria
    • Eukaryote

Kingdom

  • Generally six or four kingdoms:
    • Bacteria
    • Archaea
    • Protista
    • Plantae
    • Fungi
    • Animalia

Phyla

  • Such as: mollusks, arthropods

  • All the groups in a phylum have the same body plan

Class

  • Such as: birds, mammals, reptiles

Order

  • Such as: carnivora, lepidoptera, rodenta
  • Smaller groups within different classes

Family

  • Such as: dogs are canidae
  • Some disagreement

Genus

  • Animals in the same genus are very closely related. Some may appear identical.
  • Such as dogs and wolves being in the same genus

Species

  • Latin name is Genus + Species
  • If animals can breed and produce fertile offspring, they are the same species

Binomial System

  • Genus species

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