Introduction To Taxonomy

From Wikiversity

Taxonomy is the classification of organisms in an ordered system that indicates natural relationships.

Carolus Linnaeus was a Swedish botanist whom founded the taxonomic system used in Zoology. His system has evolved over time. The Linnaean system designates five such classifications: flora, fauna, fungi, prokaryotes, and protoctists. Depending on the person studying and reviewing the taxonomy of Phyla in Zoology, these trees may differ, especially with regards to ongoing research in many fields of study.

• Definitions:
  • Kingdom The highest taxonomic classification into which organisms are grouped.
  • Phylum A primary division of the animal kingdom ranking above a class
  • Class A primary taxonomic category of organisms ranking below a phylum and ranking above an order
  • Order A primary taxonomic category of organisms ranking below a class and above a family
  • Family A primary taxonomic category of organisms ranking below an order and above a genus
  • Genus A primary taxonomic category of organisms ranking below an order and above a genus. It is comprised of species displaying similar characteristics. In taxonomic nomenclature, the genus is used, either alone or followed by a Latin adjective or epithet, to form the species name.
  • Species A primary taxonomic category of organisms, ranking below a genus and comprised of related organisms capable of interbreeding. In writing, organisms in this category are represented in binomial nomenclature by an uncapitalized Latin adjective or noun following a capitalized genus name, as seen in Anolis carolinensis. The genus is often shorthanded, as found in A. carolinensis.
  • Trinomial nomenclature A three-part taxonomic designation indicating genus, species, and subspecies, such as Anolis sagrei sagrei.

[edit] Examples of Linnaean Taxonomy

The usual classifications of five species follow: the fruit fly, so familiar in genetics laboratories (Drosophila melanogaster), humans (Homo sapiens), the peas used by Gregor Mendel in his discovery of genetics (Pisum sativum), the "fly agaric" mushroom Amanita muscaria, and the bacterium Escherichia coli. The eight major ranks are given in bold; a selection of minor ranks are given as well.

Rank	Fruit Fly	Human	Pea	Fly Agaric	E. coli
Domain	Eukarya	Eukarya	Eukarya	Eukarya	Bacteria
Kingdom	Animalia	Animalia	Plantae	Fungi
Phylum or Division	Arthropoda	Chordata	Magnoliophyta	Basidiomycota	Proteobacteria
Subphylum or subdivision	Hexapoda	Vertebrata	Magnoliophytina	Hymenomycotina
Class	Insecta	Mammalia	Magnoliopsida	Homobasidiomycetae	Gammaproteobacteria
Subclass	Pterygota	Theria	Magnoliidae	Hymenomycetes
Order	Diptera	Primates	Fabales	Agaricales	Enterobacteriaceae
Suborder	Brachycera	Haplorrhini	Fabineae	Agaricineae
Family	Drosophilidae	Hominidae	Fabaceae	Amanitaceae	Enterobacteriaceae
Subfamily	Drosophilinae	Homininae	Faboideae	Amanitoideae
Genus	Drosophila	Homo	Pisum	Amanita	Escherichia
Species	Drosophila melanogaster	Homo sapiens	Pisum sativum	Amanita muscaria	Escherichia coli

Table Notes:

• The ranks of higher taxa, especially intermediate ranks, are prone to revision as new information about relationships is discovered. For example, the traditional classification of primates (class Mammalia — subclass Theria — infraclass Eutheria — order Primates) has been modified by new classifications such as McKenna and Bell (class Mammalia — subclass Theriformes — infraclass Holotheria) with Theria and Eutheria assigned lower ranks between infraclass and the order Primates. See mammal classification for a discussion. These differences arise because there are only a small number of ranks available and a large number of branching points in the fossil record.

• Within species further units may be recognised. Animals may be classified into subspecies (for example, Homo sapiens sapiens, modern humans) or morphs (for example Corvus corax varius morpha leucophaeus, the Pied Raven). Plants may be classified into subspecies (for example, Pisum sativum subsp. sativum, the garden pea) or varieties (for example, Pisum sativum var. macrocarpon, snow pea), with cultivated plants getting a cultivar name (for example, Pisum sativum var. macrocarpon 'Snowbird'). Bacteria may be classified by strains (for example Escherichia coli, a strain that can cause food poisoning).

• A mnemonic for remembering the order of the taxa is: Do Koalas Prefer Chocolate Or Fruit, Generally Speaking? Other mnemonics are available at mnemonic-device.eu Mnemonic Device and thefreedictionary.com Acronyms.

[edit] Terminations of names (suffixes)

Taxon above the genus level are often given names based on the type genus, with a standard termination. The terminations used in forming these names depend on the kingdom, and sometimes the phylum and class, as set out in the table below.

Rank	Plants	Algae	Fungi	Animals	Bacteria[1]
Division/Phylum	-phyta		-mycota
Subdivision/Subphylum	-phytina		-mycotina
Class	-opsida	-phyceae	-mycetes		-ia
Subclass	-idae	-phycidae	-mycetidae		-idae
Superorder	-anae
Order	-ales				-ales
Suborder	-ineae				-ineae
Infraorder	-aria
Superfamily	-acea			-oidea
Epifamily				-oidae
Family	-aceae			-idae	-aceae
Subfamily	-oideae			-inae	-oideae
Infrafamily				-odd
Tribe	-eae			-ini	-eae
Subtribe	-inae			-ina	-inae
Infratribe				-ad

Table notes:

• In botany and mycology names at the rank of family and below are based on the name of a genus, sometimes called the type genus of that taxon, with a standard ending. For example, the rose family Rosaceae is named after the genus Rosa, with the standard ending "-aceae" for a family. Names above the rank of family are formed from a family name, or are descriptive (like Gymnospermae or Fungi).

• For animals, there are standard suffixes for taxa only up to the rank of superfamily.^[2]

• Forming a name based on a generic name may be not straightforward. For example, the Latin "homo" has the genitive "hominis", thus the genus "Homo" (human) is in the Hominidae, not "Homidae".

• The ranks of epifamily, infrafamily and infratribe (in animals) are used where the complexities of phyletic branching require finer-than-usual distinctions. Although they fall below the rank of superfamily, they are not regulated under the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature and hence do not have formal standard endings. The suffixes listed here are regular, but informal.^[3]

• Phylum Protozoa

• Subphylum Plasmodroma

• Class Mastigophora

• Subclass Phytomastigina

• Order Chloromonadina

Cryptomonadina

Dinoflagellata

Euglenoidina

Phytomonadina

• Subclass Zoomastigina

• Order Hypermastigina

Polymastigina

Protomonadina

Rhizomastigina

• Class Sporozoa

• Subclass Cnidosporidia

• Order Actinomyxidia

Helicosporidia

Microsporidia

Myxosporidia

• Subclass Haplosporidia
• Subclass Sarcosporidia
• Subclass Telosporidia

• Order Coccidia

Gregarinida

Haemosporidia

• Class Sarcodina

• Order Amoebina

Foraminifera

Heliozoa

Mycetozoa

Proteomyxa

Radiolaria

Testacea

• Subphylum Ciliophora

• Class Ciliata

• Subclass Protociliata
• Subclass Euciliata

• Order Chonotricha
• Order Holotricha

• Suborder Apostomea

Astomata

Gymnostomata

Hymenostomata

Thigmostomata

• Order Peritricha

• Suborder Sessilia

Mobilia

• Order Spirotricha

• Suborder Ctenostomata

Heterotricha

Hypotricha

Oligotricha

• Class Suctoria

• Phylum Prolifera

• Class Calcarea

• Order Homocoela

Heterocoela

• Class Hexactinellida

• Order Hexasterophora

Amphidicophora

• Class Demospongiae

• Subclass Tetractinellida

Monaxonida

Keratosa

• Phylum Coelenterata

• Class Hydrozoa

• Order Hydroida

• Suborder Anthomedusae

Leptomedusae

Limnomedusae

• Order Hydrocorallina

• Suborder Milleporina

Stylasterina

• Order Trachylina

• Suborder Trachymedusae

Narcomedusae

Pteromedusae

• Order Siphonophora

• Class Scyphozoa

• Order Stauromedusae
• Order Cubomedusae
• Order Coronatae
• Order Discomedusae

• Suborder Semaeostomae

Rhizostomae

• Class Anthozoa

• Subclass Alcyonaria

• Order Alcyonacea

Coenothecalia

Gorgonacea

Pennatulacea

Stolonifera

Telestacea

• Subclass Zoantharia

• Order Actiniaria

• Suborder Actinaria

Ptychodactiaria

Corallimorpharia

• Order Madreporaria
• Order Zonanthidea
• Order Antipatharia
• Order Ceriantharia

[edit] References