1. Categories of Biological Classification Grade 10 Biology Spring 2011

2.  Aristotle: grouped plants and animals according to their structural similarities ◦ More than 2000 years ago  Greeks and Romans: grouped plants and animals into basic categories such as oaks, dogs, horses ◦ Each unit of classification came to be called a genus (Latin word for group)

3.  Taxonomy: the science of naming and classifying organisms  Until mid 1700’s biologist named organisms by adding descriptive phases (in Latin!) ◦ Honey bee had a 12-part scientific name

4.  Carl Linnaeus: ambition was to catalog all known kinds of organisms, started a two- word Latin name for each species  Binomial Nomenclature: two-word system for naming organisms

5.  Scientific Name: the unique two-part name for a species ◦ First word is genus, second is species  Genus: taxonomic category containing similar species ◦ Organisms in a genus share important characteristics

6.  First letter of a genus name is always CAPATALIZED and the second first letter of the second word is always lowercase  Scientific names are italicized or underlined  After first use of full scientific name, genus can be abbreviated with single letter

7. Two Species of Oak Common NameGenusScientific NameTraits Red OakQuercusQuercus rubra Q. rubra Lobed leaves; produces acorns approximately 25mm long Willow OakQuercusQuercus phellos Q. phellos Unloabed leaves; produces acorns approximately 15mm long

8.  Domain: contains kingdoms  Kingdom: contains phyla  Phylum: contains classes  Classes: contains orders  Order: contain families  Family: contains genera  Genus: contain species  Species

10.  Domain: Eukarya  Kingdom: Animalia  Phylum: Arthropoda  Class: Insecta  Order: Hymenoptera  Family: Apidae  Genus: Apis  Species: Apis mellifera