STEM_BIO11/1
LESSON 14: Biodiversity and Categories of Classification 2IIIhj-15
QUARTER 3 | S.Y. 2024-2025
Classification - As a result, a new taxon was identified—
called the domain, was added to the
classification system.
- All living organisms are classified into groups - The domain is broader than the kingdom.
based on very basic, shared characteristics.
- Organisms within each group are then Trait Archaea Bacteria Eukary
a
further divided into smaller groups.
Multicellularit No No Yes
- These smaller groups are based on more y Except
detailed similarities within each larger group. for
- This grouping system makes it easier for many
scientists to study certain groups of protist
organisms. Cell Wall Yes Yes Yes for
- Characteristics such as appearance, plants,
Without With fungi,
reproduction, mobility, and peptidoglyca peptidoglyca and
functionality are just a few ways in which n n some
living organisms are grouped together. protists
- These specialized groups are collectively
called the classification of living things. The No for
classification of living things includes 7 animal
s and
levels: kingdom, phylum, classes, order,
other
families, genus, and species. protists
Cell Nucleus No No Yes
Example
(DNA inside
- When you see an organism that you have a
never seen before, you probably group it membrane)
Cell No No Yes
with other, similar organisms without even
Organelles
thinking about it. (other
- You would probably classify it on the basis of structures
obvious physical characteristics. inside
- For example, if an organism is green and has membranes
leaves, no doubt you would classify it as a )
Table 15.1 Comparison of Three Domains
plant.
- How would you classify the organisms in - Almost all living things can be classified in
Figure below? three domains: Archaea, Bacteria, and
Eukarya. These domains are compared in
Table 15.1.
o The Archaea Domain includes only
the Archaea Kingdom.
o The Bacteria Domain includes only
the Bacteria Kingdom.
o The Eukarya Domain includes the
Animal, Plant, Fungus, and Protist
Figure 15.1 A fungus(left) and sponge(right). Source : [Link]
Kingdoms.
- The Archaea and Bacteria Domains contain
single-celled organisms only.
Domain - Both Archaea and Bacteria have cell walls,
but their cell walls are made of different
materials depending on the organisms'
- When Linnaeus was naming and classifying
environment.
organisms in the 1700s, almost nothing was
- The cells of Archaea and Bacteria lack a
known of microorganisms.
nucleus.
- With the development of powerful
- Some Eukarya are also single-celled, but
microscopes, scientists discovered many
most of its organisms are multicellular.
single-celled organisms that did not fit into
- Some have a cell wall while others do not.
any of Linnaeus' kingdoms.
- The cells of all Eukarya have a nucleus and
other organelles within the cell.
STEM_BIO11/1
LESSON 14: Biodiversity and Categories of Classification 2IIIhj-15
QUARTER 3 | S.Y. 2024-2025
- Archaea and Bacteria may seem more similar Order
to each other compared to Eukarya.
- Organisms in each class are further broken
- However, scientists think that Archaea may
down into orders.
actually be more closely related to Eukarya
- In this category, a taxonomy key is used to
than the domain Bacteria is. This view is
determine to which order an organism
based on similarities in their DNA.
belongs.
- A taxonomy key is a checklist of
characteristics that determines how
7 Major Levels of Classification
organisms are grouped together.
- There are seven major levels of
classification: Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Families
Order, Family, Genus, and Species.
- Orders are divided into families.
- The two main kingdoms we think about are - Organisms within a family have more in
plants and animals.
common than with organisms in any
- Scientists also list four other kingdoms
classification level above it.
including bacteria, archaebacteria, fungi, and
- Because they share so many characteristics
protozoa.
in common, organisms of a family are said to
Kingdoms be related to each other.
- The most basic classification of living things
is kingdom. Genus
- Currently, there are five kingdoms.
- Living things are placed into certain - This describes the generic name for an
kingdoms based on how they obtain their organism.
food, the types of cells that make up their - The genus classification is very specific, so
body, and the number of cells they contain. there are fewer organisms within the genus.
- Because of this, there are a lot of different
genera among both animals and plants.
Phylum - When using taxonomic naming, the genus is
used to determine the first part of its two-
- The phylum is the next level following part name.
kingdom in the classification of living things.
- It is an attempt to find some kind of physical
similarities among organisms within a Species
kingdom.
- These physical similarities suggest that there - Species is the most specific name of an
is a common ancestry among those organism.
organisms in a particular phylum. - It is the last and most strict level of
classification of living things.
- The main criterion of an organism to be
Classes within a particular species is the ability to
breed with other organisms of that same
- Classes are a way to further divide organisms species.
of a phylum. - The species of an organism determines the
- As you could probably guess, organisms of a second part of its two-part name.
class have even more in common than those
in an entire phylum. Classification for humans here is an example of how
- For example, humans belong to the Mammal humans are classified. You will see that our species
Class because we drink milk in our early is homo sapiens.
years.
STEM_BIO11/1
LESSON 14: Biodiversity and Categories of Classification 2IIIhj-15
QUARTER 3 | S.Y. 2024-2025
Figure 15.2 Taxonomic Classification of Humans. Source: YourDictionary
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Primates
Family: Hominidae
Genus: Homo
Species: Homo sapiens
Fun Ways to Remember Biological
Classification
- A good way to remember lists is to make up
a sentence using the first letters in a list.
- In this case, we want to remember Kingdom,
Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, and
Species: K, P, C, O, F, G, S.
Note: King Philip Came Over For Good Spaghetti
Interesting Facts about Biological
Classification
• Although the system of classification
continues to be modified, Carolus Linnaeus,
a Swedish plant scientist, is generally
credited with inventing the current system.
• Animals with exoskeletons like insects and
crabs are part of the Phylum Arthropoda and
are often called arthropods.
• Under the Phylum Chordata, we get the
classes of animals many are familiar with,
such as mammals, amphibians, reptiles, fish,
and birds.
• A species is usually defined as individuals
that can reproduce.