2 Classification

2.1 Concept and use of a classification system

1 Understand that organisms can be classified into groups by the features they
share
2 Describe a species as a group of organisms that can reproduce to produce fertile
offspring
3 Describe the binomial system of naming species as an internationally agreed
system in which the scientific name of an organism is made up of two parts showing
the genus and species

There are millions of species of organisms on Earth

• A species is defined as a group of organisms that can reproduce to produce fertile
offspring
• These species can be classified into groups by the features that they share e.g. all
mammals have bodies covered in hair, feed young from mammary glands and have
external ears (pinnas)

The method of arranging and grouping of organisms on the basis of similarities and
differences is called classification.
Classification systems aim to reflect evolutionary relationships.

SIGNIFICANCE OF CLASSIFICATIONS
Classification makes the study of various organism simpler and easier.
Classification is essential to understand the interrelations between different
organisms.
Classification projects before us a good picture of all life forms at a glance.
It serves as a base for the development of other biological sciences like bio-
geography, ecology, behavioral sciences etc.
Bionomial system of naming organisms

 Each language has its own name for a living organisms, or for different kinds
of organisms.
 To avoid confusion, biologists have given each kind of organism its
own unique, two-word name. This is called a binomial (meaning ‘two name’).
 This idea was first thought of in 1735 by Linnaeus, a Swedish scientist.
 Linnaeus wanted to make sure that scientists all over the world
could communicate about living organisms, even though they spoke
different languages and so had different names for the same kind of
organism. We still use Linnaeus’s naming system today.

Binomial system of naming species as an internationally agreed system in which

the scientific name of an organism is made up of two parts showing the genus
and species

Rules of binomial nomenclature.

1. Each kind of organism has a Latin name made up of two words.

 2. The first part of the name is the genus that the organism belongs
to. The second part of the name is the species.
3. The scientific names should be in italics if printed and separately
underlined if handwritten.
4. The genus names should always begin with a capital letter but the
species names start with a small letter.

Eg. Homo sapiens

Wolf: Canis lupus
Zebra: Equus burchelli
Lion: Panthera Leo

FEATURES POSSESSED BY ALL LIVING ORGANISMS

Cytoplasm
Cell memebrane
Genetic material (DNA) (either found in the nucleus or free in the cytoplasm)
Ribososmes for protein synthesis
Enzymes involved in respiration

2.2 Features of organisms

1 State the main features used to place all organisms into one of the five kingdoms:
Animal, Plant, Fungus, Prokaryote, Protoctist
2 State the main features used to place organisms into groups within the animal
kingdom, limited to:
(a) the main groups of vertebrates: mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish
(b) the main groups of arthropods: myriapods, insects, arachnids, crustaceans
3 State the main features used to place organisms into groups within the plant
kingdom, limited to ferns and flowering plants (dicotyledons and monocotyledons)
4 Classify organisms using the features identified in 2.2.1, 2.2.2 and 2.2.3
5 State the main features of viruses, limited to protein coat and genetic material
6 Understand that viruses can only replicate in living cells
The Five Kingdoms
Main features of all animals:
Eukaryote
They are multicellular
Their cells contain a nucleus
No cell walls
No chloroplasts
Heterotroph
Are able to differentiate into many specialized cell types that can form tissue and
organs
They feed on organic substances made by other living things

Main features of all plants:

Eukaryote
They are multicellular
Their cells contain a nucleus
Contain chloroplasts
cellulose cell wall
Are able to differentiate into many specialized cell types that can form tissue and
organs
Autotroph
They all feed by photosynthesis
Mostly plants have root, Stem and leaves

Kingdom Fungi
Eukaryote
Usually multicellular (Many celled) some unicellular (yeast)
Have nucleus
Have cell wall but made of chitin instead of cellulose
It contains a cytoplasm which contains glycogen granules, and several nuclei.
Do not have chlorophyll
Do not photosynthesise
It doesn’t contain chloroplasts neither starch granules.
In the center there is a vacuole
Heterotroph
Reproduce through spores thatvdisperse onto the ground
Some fungi are saprophytic (Obtain food from dead) while some are parasitic
(obtain food from living organisms).
Absorb food through diffusion
Body compose of long threads called Hypha
Several hypha combine form mycellum (Fungal body).
Examples: Bread mold, Yeast and Mushroom
Feeding hyphae: They form a network which grows over or through the food
materials, they are called mycelium.
Large numbers of hyphae grow together through whatever the fungus is feeding on
making a branching network called mycelium.
How Do Fungi Eat ?
Fungi use a process called saprotrophic nutrition to feed its self.
The hyphae secretes enzymes which digests dead organic matter or animal waste
which is then absorbed by the hyphae to be used by the fungi.
Reproduction Of Fungi At some point the fungi produce a reproductive structure,
mushrooms for example, which produces thousands of tiny spores, these are then
dispersed to other areas and grow into a new mycelium.
Adaptations Of Fungi
Fungi are adapted to perform their functions easily by the following ways:
They grow long mycelium of hyphae on whatever they feed on, these secret
enzymes which digests what the fungi feeds on. They are able to grow tall
mushrooms of toadstools so the spores could be widely dispersed by wind or
insects, thus they reproduce quickly.
Why Fungi Are Not Plants:
Long ago, fungi were classified as plants, but in details, fungi are actually different
to plants, firstly, they do not contain chloroplasts and they do not undergo
photosynthesis. Secondly, Their cell walls (hyphae walls) are made of chitin not
cellulose as in plants. Thirdly, their extra supplies of sugar is stored as glycogen not
starch. And lastly, they are heterotrophic eaters not autotrophic like plants.
Importance of Fungi
Some use to obtain antibiotics such as Penicillin.
Some fungi use as food source such as Mushroom we eat
Some fungi use for production of ethanol.
Some fungi are also harmful cause Food decay
Some fungi also cause disease. For example: Ring worm and Athlete’s foot
Kingdom Protoctista
eukaryote
Most are unicellular but some are multicellular
All have a nucleus, some may have cell walls and chloroplasts (algae)
Some protoctists photosynthesise and some feed on organic substances made by
other living things
(e.g. Amoeba, Paramecium, Plasmodium)
Some similarities with Plants (algea) while some have animals like features
(protozoa).
Some member have cell wall while some have no cell wall
Some member are photosynthetic
Some member feed on organic substance made by other organism.
Example of Protoctista
Paramecium and Chlamydomonas

Main features of all Prokaryotes

(bacteria, blue-green algae)
They are often unicellular
Have cytoplasm
Their cells have cell walls made from Murein (not made of cellulose) and cytoplasm
No nucleus
No mitochondria
Types of Prokaryotes on the Basis of Mode of Nutrition
1. Parasites: Those organism that obtain their Food from living organisms
2. Saprophytes: Those organism that obtain their Food from dead decay.
3. Photosynthetic : Those organism that prepare their own food from sun light

Example of Prokaryotes: Bacteria

Importance of Bacteria:
Several Bacteria are harmful to us and cause diseases . For Example: T.B, Cholera
Some bacteria increase fertility by nitrogen fixation
Bacteria also use in sewage water treatment as bacteria decompose the waste organic
material from water
Bacteria can also use in Biotechnology for production of insulin
 Vertebrates
All vertebrates have a backbone. There are 5 classes of vertebrates:
Fish
Scales on skin
Gills to breathe
Lay eggs without shells in water
Have fins
 external fertilization
Fins Swimming
Tail fin /Caudal fin Changing direction
Lateral lines Sensation
Scales Protection
Stream lined body Minimize resistance during
swimming

Amphibians
Smooth, moist skin
Scale less skin
Adults usually live on land (so have lungs),
Larvae live in water (so have gills)
Lay eggs without shells in water
Skin richly supplied with capillaries
They have four limbs (two short and two long)
Hind limb with web digit
External fertilization
External ear
Examples of Amphiibian Frog Salamenders
Feature Function
Protruding eye See in water
Hind limb with web digit To swim in water
Skin richly supplied with capiliries For breathing

Reptiles
Dry, fixed scales on skin –
lay eggs with rubbery shells on land
Examples of Reptiles  Snake  Lizards  Crocodiles
Fertilization internal
Lungs for breathing
Four limbs (except snakes)

Birds
Skin covered in feathers (scales on leg)
Forelimb modified into wings
Have 2 legs and 2 wings
Hind limb= use for walking and catching prey
Lay eggs with waterproof hard shells on land
Have a beak
Endothermic
Internal fertilization
Lungs for gas exchange

Mammals
Fur/hair on skin –
have a placenta –
young feed on milk from mammary glands
external ears (pinna) visible –
endothermic
lungs for gas exchange
four limbs
Have different types of teeth (incisors, canines, premolar and molar)

Arthropods

 jointed limbs.
 They have hard, firm exoskeleton, which is called a cuticle, encloses their bodies.
 Segmented body

Phylum Arthropoda includes four classes.

MYRIAPODS –

 Long thin body consists of many segments moving through

 each segment contains at least 1 pair of jointed legs
 1 pair of antennae
 Simple eyes
 No wings
 Examples millipedes centipedes
Insects –
Insects are a very successful group, due to their exoskeleton and tracheae, which are
very good at stopping water from evaporating from insects’s body, so they can live
in very dry places.
 3 part body - head, thorax and abdomen –
 3 pairs of jointed legs –
 2 pairs of wings (1 or both pairs may be vestigial - meaning non-functional
and undeveloped) - 1 pair of antennae
 Compound eye
 Pair of antenna
 Breathe through trachea
 Examples Bees, butterflies, mosquitoes, houseflies , greenfly and beetles etc

ARACHNIDS
These are spiders, ticks and scorpions. They are land-dwelling organisms.
 2 part body - cephalothorax and abdomen –
 4 pairs of jointed legs –
 No antennae
 Pedipalp present (Pedipalps are used in reproduction.)
  No wings
 Several pairs of simple eyes
 All have piercing jaws since all are predators
 Chelicerae (pointed mouth parts) Chelicerae pierce the pray and paralyze it
with a poison secreted by a gland at their base.
 Breathe through gills called book lungs

CRUSTACEANS –
These are the crabs, lobsters and woodlice. They breath through gills, so most of them
live in wet places and many are aquatic.
 More than 4 pairs of jointed legs
 2 part body - cephalothorax and abdomen –
 chalky calcified exoskeleton formed from calcium – to form particular hard
carapace for protection
 breathe through gills –
 2 pairs of antennae
 Compound eyes ( Compound eyes are made up of tens or hundreds of
separate lenses with light sensitive cells beneath.)
 No wings
 Plants
TWO IMPORTANT CLASSES OF PLANTS 
Class Ferns
Flowering Plants

Ferns
Small Land plants
Root,stem and leaves present
The leaves of ferns called fronds.
Do not produce flowers
Stem develop to grow under growth and Form a structure called Rhizome.
Roots develop from rhizome called adventitious root.
Vascular bundle present for conduction of water and food
These plants produce zygote but no seed
Zygote produce fern plant that give rise to Sporangia
Sporangia is a structure in which spores develop
Spore fall down on ground then develop to other plant
FLOWERING PLANTS
These plants develop flowers
These plants reproduce from seeds
Plants have root, stem and leaves.
Reproduce by mean of flowers and seeds.
Seeds are produced inside the ovary, in flower.
Flowering plants are divided into
Two sub classes:
Monocotyledons (Monocots)  Dicotyedons (Dicots)
 Virus
Viruses are not true living things. They are not considered to be alive, because on
their own they can do nothing until they enter a living cell.
Viruses do not feed, respire, grow, excrete, move or respond to stimuli which are
characteristics of living organisms.
Virus is a particle, not considered to be a cell....Why.?
The virus particle contains no cytoplasm, no cell membrane and no nucleus.
It contains nucleic acid and protein coat called capsid
1. Nucleic acid : DNA/ RNA
Example of virus: Bacteriophage Virus = Virus attack on bacteria

viruses can only replicate in living cells