Identifying, Naming, and Classifying Species
Species Definition
Species Concepts
Morphological
| advantages | disadvantages |
|---|
| considers variation and evolution over time | animals may look alike but are genetically different |
| simple, widely used | animals may be the same species, but have individual variations |
Biological
- ability to produce viable, fertile offspring
- viable=able to survive
- fertile=able to breed
| advantages | disadvantages |
|---|
| widely used | species that are extinct or physically separated do not have the opportunity to breed |
| asexual species do not mate (bacteria, single celled organisms) |
Phylogenetic
- examines phylogeny
- evolutionary history of animals
- looks at genetic similarities in gene sequences
- can be broken down into a percentage
| advantages | disadvantages |
|---|
| accurate | evolutionary histories are not known for all species |
| can analyze DNA of extinct species | |
Taxonomy
- branch of biology that identifies, names, and classifies species
- introduced by Swedish naturalist, Carolus Linnaeus
- known as the system of systematics
Binomial Nomenclature
- two part naming system
- first word is genus
- second word is species
- binomial nomenclature=two part naming system
- genus name is capitalized
- species name is lowercase
- italicized when typing
- underlined when written
Eight Taxonomic Ranks
- ^^D^^omain (broadest)
- ^^K^^ingdom
- ^^P^^hylum
- ^^C^^lass
- ^^O^^rder
- ^^F^^amily
- ^^G^^enus
- ^^S^^pecies (most specific/unique)