STEM_BIO11/1

LESSON 12: Taxonomy: Classification and Naming of Living Things 2IIIhj-14

QUARTER 3 | S.Y. 2024-2025

Milkfish and Common Names - This binomial system of nomenclature brings

order to a chaotic world of common names.
- It is universal and clearly indicates the level
of classification involved in any descriptions.
- Every species has a two-part name: the
broader classification genus (plural: genera)
with a second word that designates species
or specific epithet.
- No two kinds of living organisms have the
Figure 13.1 Milk fish (Chanas chanson) is called in different local names in the same binomial name, and every organism
Philippines. Source: [Link]
has only one correct name as required by
- Milkfish (Fig. 13.1) or what we called various internationally agreed codes of rules.
bangus in Tagalog dialect is a Filipino
Nomenclature Codes
favorite dish whether it is fried, daing, or
sinigang. At present, the following nomenclature codes govern
- Interestingly, this particular fish is known in the naming of species, as follows:
different local names such as bangrus in
• Algae, Fungi, and Plants – International Code
Guimaras and Samar and awa in Cebu.
of Botanical Nomenclature (ICBN)
- Other Philippine fish names can get
• Animals - International Code of Zoological
confusing because different names can be
Nomenclature (ICZN)
given to the same kind and can be used in
• acteria –International Code of Nomenclature
multiple other fish just in the same region
and dialect. Bacteria (ICNB)
• Viruses - International Committee on
- Imagine the confusion it brings to various
animals, plants, and other living things if Taxonomy 0fof Viruses (ICTV).
different people throughout the world used
their own names in different languages.
Major Rules in Nomenclature

1. the name should be in Latin;

Systematics and Taxonomy 2. the genus of an organism begins with a
- In order to avoid confusion, a formal system capital letter; the species designation begins
of naming species of living things that with a lowercase letter;
reflects order and relationship arising from 3. the entire scientific name is italicized when
evolutionary processes is used universally. typewritten or underlined separately when
- Systematics is the study of diversity of handwritten. Thus, the scientific name of
organisms and the evolutionary relationships human is written as Homo sapiens;
among them. 4. all taxa must have an author when
- Taxonomy, on the other hand, is the described. That is, Homo sapiens L., the L
scientific study of describing, naming, and stands for Linnaeus who first successfully
classifying living organisms. described and named the organism. When
the genus is understood, it can be
Binomial System of Nomenclature abbreviated as H. sapiens.

-A Swedish botanist,
Karl von Linne, Taxonomic Hierarchy
popularly known in his
Latin name as Carolus
- Carolus Linnaeus recognized that different
Linnaeus, Father of
species could be grouped into broader
Modern Taxonomy,
categories based on shared characteristics.
created the Binomial
- Any grouping of organisms that shares a
System of
particular set of characteristics forms an
Nomenclature.
assemblage called taxon.
Figure 13.2. Carolus Linnaeus, Father of - Although scientists now use additional
Taxonomy.
categories, Linnaeus’s idea is the basis of the
 STEM_BIO11/1
LESSON 12: Taxonomy: Classification and Naming of Living Things 2IIIhj-14

QUARTER 3 | S.Y. 2024-2025

taxonomic hierarchy used today Greek dicho meaning “in two” or “split” and
(Table.13.1). tom, meaning “to cut”) key.
- The three major domains Archaea, - The paired statements described contrasting
Bacteria, and Eukarya are the most features found in the organisms against an
inclusive levels. appropriate dichotomous key.
- Each domain is divided into kingdoms, which - These taxonomic keys will begin with general
in turn are divided into phyla, then classes, characteristics and lead to couplets
orders, families, genera and species. indicating progressively specific
- A taxon is a group at any rank that is domain characteristics.
Eukarya is a taxon, as is the order Primates - If the organism falls into the indicated
and the species Homo sapiens. taxonomic level. Look at the example below.

Taxonomic Group Human found in:

Domain Eukarya
Kingdom Animalia
Animals
Phylum Chordata
Class Mammalia
Order Primates Has no Has
Family Pongidae feathers feathers
Genus Homo
Species Homo sapiens Has no Cannot
Table [Link] Hierarchy. Life is divided into domains, then kingdoms, then numerous Has legs Can swim
smaller categories. This table shows the complete classification for human. Source: Krempels
legs Swim
and Lee,2003.

- The more features two organisms have in Lizard Snake Duck Hen
common, the more taxonomic levels they
share. Figure 13.4 Dichotomous Key. A tool that allows the user to determine the identify of items in

- A human, a squid and a fly are all members the natural world. Source: Ryan P. Murphy 2010.

of the kingdom Animalia but their differences

place them in separate phyla.
- A human, rat and pig are more closely
related –all belong to the same kingdom,
phylum and class.
- A human, orangutan and chimpanzee are
even more closely related, sharing the same
kingdom, phylum, class, order and family.

Dichotomous Key

- For the field of biology, classification is very

critical.
- It is important to have systems in place to
recognize and classify organisms as we
continue to discover new species, learn
better techniques for analyzing interactions
between species (i.e. DNA analysis) and
exchange knowledge internationally.
- Having such, you can easily distinguish any
particular entities and describe any living
specimens at hand.
- A taxonomic key is suitable tool for this
purpose, which is an organized set of
couplets of mutually exclusive characteristics
of biological organisms.
- Because the key branches split in two at each
stage, it is called a dichotomous (from the