- 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