5.3 Classification of biodiversity

Hierarchial species classification categories

Domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, species

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Domain

Eukarya: Protists, Plants, Fungi, Animals

Archaea – includes prokaryotes that live in Earth’s extreme environments.

Bacteria – the most diverse and widespread prokaryotes (e.g., E. coli)

Prokaryote phylogeny

Bryophytes

Small herbaceous nonwoody plants.

• Ex: Mosses

• Anchored to the soil by rhizoids

• Gametophyte (haploid part) larger than sporophyte

• Height of plant limited by lack of vascular tissue so needs to live in damp environment as it can’t transport water

• Produces spores and not seeds

• First type of vegetation during beginning of plant evolution

Filicinophytes

Seedless vascular plants

• Ex: Ferns

• Contains 2 types of vascular tissue: xylem and phloem

  • Xylem transfers water and minerals

  • Phloem distributes sugars and amino acids

• Taller plant in general due to the existence of vascular tissue which gives them an advantage to compete for sunlight.

• Contains roots

• Makes spores

Coniferophytes

Gymnosperms which have naked seeds that are not enclosed in chambers

• Ex: Conifers

• Disperses mature seeds through wind

• Ovule has female gametophyte (distributed in female cones) while pollen grains have male gametophytes (distributed in male cones)

• Undergoes pollination where pollen is transfered into the part of the plant with ovules

• Seeds allow plant to survive in drier conditions

• Has roots and vascular system

Angiosperms

Seed plants which contain reproductive structures called flowers and fruit.

• Most widespread of all plants

• Contains a flower which is a structure specialized for specialized reproduction.

  • Reproduction occurs in various methods

• Produces seeds after fertilization of the ovules

• Sometimes has various fruit adaptations to spread seeds by wind, water or animals

  • Ex: burrs, helicopter shaped seeds.

• Contains roots, vascular tissue, ovules, and pollen p

Porifera

Sponges which are filter feeders that capture food particules in the water that pass through their body.

• Do not contain a mouth or an anus

• Lack true tissues (made of group of cells)

• Attached to a surface

Cnidaria

Includes jellyfish and anemones

• Contains true tissues

• Composed of a sac with central digestive compartment

• Has 1 opening which functions as a mouth and an anus

• Canivorous

• No brain but has nerve with sensory structures

• Contains radial symmetry

Radial symmetry

Organisms which have no distinguishable front or back side and are symmetrical all around.

Billateral symmetry

Animals which can be divided into 2 identitical left and right sides. Has a distinguishable top and bottom side.

• Individuals that are bilateral typically move independently compared to those of radial symmetry

Platyhelminthes

Flatworms which are small worms that have a flat body shape.

• Contains no skeleton

• Are NON segmented

• Contains a body cavity and a mouth

• Does not contain an anus

Annelida

Segment worms

• Contains a mouth and an anus

Mollusca

Clams, snails, squid and octopus

• Has soft body that has a hard shell

• Contains a mouth and anus

Arthropod

Insects, millipedes, crabs, arachnids

• Extremely common in the world

• Has segmented exoskeleton made of chitin

• Has jointed appendages

Chordata

The ancestor of vertebrates

• Members of the phylum chordata

• has similar set of derived characters

  • Notochord (flexible rod)

  • Dorsal (hollow nerve cord)

  • Muscular post anal tail

  • Pharnyngeal slits

• All had backbone and well defined head

Ray-finned fishes

Fishes different from sharks that have a bone endoskeleton

• Has lungs

• 27 thousand species of ray finned fishes

• 1 slit on their gills

• Has external fertilization

• Has swim bladder

Amphibians

Frogs, salamanders

• Lives in moist environments

• Has simple lungs with folds

• Skin allows water and gas to be exchanged

• Fertilization occurs externally

• Eggs are coated with a gel

• Larval stages in water (tadpole)

Reptiles

Turtles, lizards, snakes

• Has scales made with keratin which are waterproof

• Lays eggs on land

• Fertilization internal

• Cold blooded so requires sunlight to heat up and regulate body

• Has lungs with folds.

Birds

Feather covered mammal

• Keeps body warm through metabolism

• Has skin and feathers made from keratin

• Lays eggs with hard shell

• Lungs with bronchial tubes

Mammals

• Contains mammary glands that produce milk

• Hair

• Fat layer under skin

• Skin made from keratin

• High metabolic rate

• Has lungs with alveoli

• Has live young

• 3 major mammalian lineages

  • Monotremes

  • Marsupials

  • Eutherians