7th Grade Science Student ebook

UNIT 1 LIVING SYSTEMS

taxonomy - the process of

identifying and classifying living

things.

species - a group of similar

organisms that can produce

offspring.

How many different species of

organisms can you identify in your

backyard or local park? Visit a

local park or your backyard. List all

of the different species of

organisms you see.

Levels of classification

Taxonomy is the process of identifying and classifying living

things. The Swedish scientist Carolus Linnaeus (1707–1778)

developed this system for identifying and classifying living things.

Taxonomy is based on the characteristics of organisms. Organisms

with shared characteristics are grouped together.

For animals, the levels of classification are

kingdom, phylum, class, order, family,

genus, and species.

Levels of

classification

For animals, the levels of classification are kingdom, phylum,

class, order, family, genus, and species. Organisms belonging to

the same kingdom are not necessarily very similar. As levels get

smaller, organisms share more characteristics. Organisms in the

same order share more characteristics than organisms in the same

class. Organisms belonging to the same species are very similar

and can produce offspring together. Table 2.1 shows the

classification of some animals.

Table 2.1: Classification of some common animals

Level Human Dog Bull frog Brine shrimp

Kingdom Animalia Animalia Animalia Animalia

Phylum Chordata Chordata Chordata Arthropoda

Class Mammalia Mammalia Amphibia Crustacea

Order Primates Carnivora Anura Brachiopoda

Family Homonidae Canidae Ranidae Anostraca

Genus Homo Canis Rana Artemia

Species Homo sapiens Canis familiaris Rana catesbeiana Artemia gracillus