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classifying organisms (Evolution and classification (Darwin's theory,…
classifying organisms
Why to scientists classify
Classification is the process of grouping things based on their similarity's
Biologists use classification to organize living things into groups so that the organisms are easier to study
The naming system of Linnaeus
genus and species
Genus: a classification grouping that contains similar, closely related organisms.
Species: a group of similar organisms that can mate with each other and produce offspring that can also mate and reproduce
The second word in a scientific name often describes a distinctive feature of an organism. (where it lives, appearance, etc)
Using binomial nomenclature
Together a genus and species name identify one kind of organism
A scientific name is always in italics, the first letter of the genus is capitalized, while the species name is not. The scientific names contain Latin words
Binomial nomenclature makes it easy for scientists to communicate about and organism because everyone uses the same scientific name for the same organism
Levels of classification
Major levels of classification
Organisms are not grouped on where they live but by their shared characteristics
The highest level of classification is domain, within domain is kingdom, within kingdom is phylum, within phylum is class, within class is order, within order is family, within family is genus, within genus is species.
The more classification levels two organisms share, the more characteristics they have in common
Evolution and classification
Darwin's theory
Darwin studied finches on the Galapagos islands
He observed that the island's finches were similar but different than the finches living in South America
He hypothesized that some members of a single species of finch flew from South America to the islands. Once on the island, the species changed little by little over many generations until they were different than the species living in South America.
After a long time, the birds on the mainland could not reproduce with those on the mainland. they had become two different species
This process is called evolution
Classification today
Species with similar evolutionary histories are classified more closely together
Determining evolutionary history
How do scientists determine the evolutionary history of species
Compare the structures of organisms
Information about the chemical makeup of the organisms cells
Taxonomy keys
Taxonomy keys are useful tools for determining the identity of organisms