15.1 - The Need for Naming
Scientific names:
> were devised by Carolus Linnaeus in the 1700’s
> consist of two words: the Genus name and the
species name
> are written in Latin
> eliminate the confusion of having different names
and in different languages in describing the same organism
15.2 - Classfication: Organizing Life
Taxonomy is the science of classifying organisms.
Linnaeus classified organisms according to their similarities.
Organisms are classified in a hierarchial system as follows:
Category
Human Classification
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Chordata
Class
Mammalia
Order
Primates
Family
Hominidae
Genus
Homo
Species
sapiens
The term Division is used instead of Phylum for
plantae, fungi, and monera.
The classification of an organism shows its evolutionary
relationships.
To classify an organism, taxonomists use: evolutionary
history, structural features, behavioral patterns, methods of reproduction,
life cycles,
patterns of development, similarities in DNA
Analogous characters are similar but do not share a common
ancestry.
Convergent evolution is the evolution of similar characteristics
in unrelated organisms. An example would be the development of wings
in insects, birds, and bats.
Derived characters are unique characters that are distinguishing
factors for a group. An example would be that all mammals have hair
and feed their young milk.
Cladograms are branched diagrams that show the evolutionary
relationships in a group of organisms.
A species is a group of organisms that are able to interbreed
with each other to produce fertile offspring. A species possesses
unique characteristics.
Hybrids are offspring that result from interbreeding
two different species.
15.3 - Five Kingdoms
All organisms have been grouped into five kingdoms:
Monera - prokaryotes; mostly bacteria
Protista - mostly unicellular heterotrophs;
also seaweeds, slime molds, etc.
Fungi - similar to plants, but don’t photosynthesize
Plantae - multicellular organisms that photosynthesize;
autotrophs
Animalia - multicellular