Memorize the sequence of taxonomic categories and understand how common characteristics change as one moves up the hierarchy.
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Higher category = fewer common features.
Defining the lowest three ranks.
At the very bottom of the taxonomic hierarchy is the species. This category represents a group of individual organisms with fundamental similarities.
You can easily distinguish one species from another closely related one based on distinct morphological (physical) differences.
Did you know? The renowned evolutionary biologist Ernst Mayr pioneered the currently accepted "biological species concept"!
Diagram of categories from Species to Kingdom.
Taxonomic categories showing hierarchical arrangement in ascending order. As you move higher from species to kingdom, the number of common characteristics decreases.
Defining the higher ranks.
We've grouped species into genera, and genera into families. How do we group families?
An Order is an assemblage of families based on aggregates of characters. However, these similar characters are fewer in number compared to lower ranks.
Order the ranks.
Arrange the taxonomic categories in ascending order (from the lowest, most specific taxon to the highest, broadest category).
Match organisms to their families.
Terms
Definitions