Name: _________________________________________________ Period: ___________ Date: ________________ Carolus Linnaeus’ System for Classifying Organisms Guided
Notes
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Classification
When you visit any library to read a book, how can you find this book among thousands of books in different fields? The
library follow a specific system to categorize and organize the books according to their fields. These fields are subdivided
into small categories with specific title and so on. By this way you can find any book in the library. Scientists also use a
classification system in order to classify living organisms.
What is the Importance of Classification?
While all living organisms may look similar in their ________ because all of the living organisms consist of one or more
________ as well as having seven life features which are ________, ________, ________, ________, ________, ________
and ________ but they differ in many features such as form, structure, way of living, nutrition and reproduction. Because
of this enormous diversity in the living organisms, they need to be classified. Classification process facilitate studying these
organisms. ________ can be identified as the organization of living things into groups according to their shared features
or traits to make it easier to be studied and identified. The science field which concerns with classification of living
organisms in groups is called ________. The classification of living organisms on scientific bases make it easier to identify
new organisms, to add them into their similar groups and also benefits many other fields of science.
Name: _________________________________________________ Period: ___________ Date: ________________ Carolus Linnaeus’ System for Classifying Organisms Guided
Notes
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Classification systems
________ was the first one who classify life more than 2300 years ago. He classified animals based on habitat into red
blooded animals and bloodless animals and he also classified plants into trees, shrubs and weeds. Latterly, the
classification system to living organisms was proposed by Carl Linnaeus in 18th Century. This Swedish naturalist is
considered the 'Father of Taxonomy' because of his contributions to the taxonomy. In the 1700s, Linnaeus developed a
way to ________ and ________ species that we still use today and his two most important contributions to taxonomy
were:
1. A ________ ________ system.
2. The system of ________ ________.
Linnaeus collected thousands of specimens of plants and animals. In 1735, He developed a standard way of grouping and
naming species in his first edition of Systema Naturae (The System of Nature), which was a small guide or note that
explaining his new system of the classification of nature. Laterally, he published more editions of Systema Naturae that
included more named species. Over-all, Linnaeus named about 4,400 animal species and 7,700 plant species using his
binomial nomenclature system. The Systema Naturae tenth edition was published in 1758 and is considered the most
important edition. Its full title in English is System of nature through the three kingdoms of nature, according to classes,
orders, genera and species.
Linnaeus's Classification System
Linnaeus classified nature into a hierarchy in Systema Naturae. He proposed that there were three broad groups, called
________, into which the whole of nature could fit. These kingdoms were ________, ________, and ________. The
kingdoms divided into ________. Each class was divided into ________ which were further divided into ________. Each
genus was divided into ________. Biologists still use this system today, but they have made some modifications.
Name: _________________________________________________ Period: ___________ Date: ________________ Carolus Linnaeus’ System for Classifying Organisms Guided
Notes
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Nowadays, researchers only use this system to classify living things. They also added a few extra levels in the hierarchy.
The classification broadest level of life is a ________ in which all living things fit into. There are only three domains:
________, ________, and ________.
Each domain consists of kingdoms. Eukarya domain includes the kingdoms ________, ________, ________, and ________.
Each kingdom is divided into phyla. Each Phylum is divided into classes followed by order, family, genus, and species. Each
level of classification is also called a taxon (plural is taxa).
Taxonomic hierarchy
There are 7 levels of organizing and grouping the living organisms. Each group contain less number of organisms that are
more similar to each other than that of the previous group.
1. Domain
It's also called super kingdom or empire and it's the highest taxonomic rank of organisms. The tree of life consists of
three domains which are ________, ________, and ________. The first two comprise ________ microorganisms, or
Name: _________________________________________________ Period: ___________ Date: ________________ Carolus Linnaeus’ System for Classifying Organisms Guided
Notes
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single-celled organisms whose cells have no nucleus. All life that has a nucleus and membrane-bound organelles, and
multicellular organisms, is included in the Eukarya.
2. Kingdom
The kingdom contains a number of ________. There are at least five kingdoms which are ________, ________,
________, ________ and ________. Some researchers were proposed six kingdom classification system which
includes Archaebacteria. Nowadays, some biologists include the viruses in seventh kingdom but it still argued around
the world.
Name: _________________________________________________ Period: ___________ Date: ________________ Carolus Linnaeus’ System for Classifying Organisms Guided
Notes
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3. Phylum
Each kingdom is divided into phyla (singular: phylum). Kingdom Animalia contain major phyla such as Chordata,
Arthropoda and Mollusca. Phyla have also been developed and rearranged as scientists discover more species, more
categories and subcategories are put in place.
4. Class
Each phylum contains a number of ________. For example, classes within the chordata phylum include Mammalia,
Reptilia and Osteichthyes.
5. Order
Each class contains a number of ________. For example, there are many orders in the Mammalia class such as Cetacea,
Carnivora, Primates and Chiroptera.
6. Family
From the order, the organisms will be grouped and classified into a ________. For example,
the order of Primates contain families which are Hominidae, Cercopithecidae, and
Hylobatidae.
7. Genus
Finally, each family is classified into ________. These are the names that are most commonly
used to describe an organism. Each Genus is classified into number of species. For example,
within the primate family is the genus Homo for all human species or Pongo for the genus of
orangutan.
8. Species
It is a group of ________ individuals having similar morphological characteristics mate with each other and produce
healthy ________ ________ similar to them.
In addition to the previously mentioned levels, there are other levels that intermediate each two successive groups, such
as sub – phylum, and sub - class.
Name: _________________________________________________ Period: ___________ Date: ________________ Carolus Linnaeus’ System for Classifying Organisms Guided
Notes
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Binomial Nomenclature system
There are often different names for the same organism in the various Earth’s regions and environments. These names are
called the ________ ________. Linnaeus overcome this problem and proposed a system for nomenclature of living
organisms which is called the ________ ________ ________ in which all species names should have two parts and written
by Latin language.
In this system, the first name represents the ________ which begins with a capital letter and the second name represent
the ________ that begins with a small letter. It was agreed to write these names by tilted Latin letters, or to underline
each of them by a special line to make it different than others. For example, the scientific name of human is Homos sapiens.
Genus: Homos (man in Latin)
Species: Sapiens (wise in Latin)
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