Classifying Living Things

Kingdom

• Living things are divided into 5 large groups called kingdoms

• kingdoms share similar characteristics

• bacteria(monerans), protists, fungi, plants, animals

Classification

• Classification helps scientist compare different animals

• What do these animals have in common?

• Would they be put in the same group?

Groups

• The most general group is the kingdom

• each step eliminates organisms until there is only one

• The species is the smallest most exact group

Characteristics

• To divide groups to make them smaller scientist view characteristics

• How would we classify the groups at left?

Plant groups

• Plants are classified just like animals

• Two large groups are vascular - have transport tubes(trees)

• non- vascular = absorb nutrient into cells(mosses)

• What does this circle graph tell you about where most species of animals live?

Animal groups

• Vertebrates = backbones

• Invertebrates = no backbone

• What would this octopus be?

• What are some examples of each?

Vertebrates

• Broken into five groups

• fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals

• What are some differences between these groups?

Fish• Have gills that absorb

oxygen dissolved in water

• live entire life in water• have scales• cold blooded• most lay eggs• More than 19,000

species

Amphibians• Begin life in water• live on land as adults• must return to water to

lay eggs• Moist smooth skin• cold blooded• frogs, toads, newts,

salamanders• More than 4,000 species

Reptiles

• Cold blooded• dry scaly skin• most lay leathery eggs

on land• More than 6,000

species

Birds

• Lay hard shell eggs• warm blooded• have feathers, beaks,

and scaly legs• Have light bones• More than 9,000

species

Mammals

• Warm blooded • have hair• live birth• produce milk for

young• More than 4,000

species

Invertebrates

• All lack a backbone• have different body

forms and live in different areas

• many divisions• sponges, worms,

mollusk, echinoderms, arthropods

Arthropods• Largest group of

invertebrates• have exoskeletons• crustaceans (crabs,

lobsters, shrimp)• insects (beetles,

butterflies, ants, roaches, bees)

• arachnids (scorpions, ticks, mites, spiders)