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Exploring Animal Classification and Taxonomy

Mar 8, 2025

Lecture Notes: Classification and Taxonomy

Introduction

  • Discussion of various cool animals and personal anecdotes about hydra.
  • Hydra characteristics:
    • Small, a few millimeters in length
    • Live in freshwater
    • Attack and eat small prey; reproduce by budding

What Defines an Animal?

  • Differentiation from plants, protists, and fungi
  • Importance of classification: categorizing organisms

Taxonomy Overview

  • Taxonomy involves naming and classification of species
  • Carl Linnaeus credited for formal classification system in the 18th century
  • Historical lack of knowledge on cell structures and DNA
  • Classification evolves with new genetic and structural discoveries

Classification Mnemonic

  • Example mnemonic: "Dear King Paramecium Cares Only For Green Spirulina"

Hierarchy of Classification

  • Domains: Broadest category

    • Three Domains: Bacteria, Archaea, Eukarya
      • Bacteria: Prokaryotes, various roles (pathogens, digestive aid, decomposers)
      • Archaea: Prokaryotes, extremophiles, structurally and genetically distinct
      • Eukarya: Eukaryotes

  • Kingdoms: Next level of classification

    • Organization of kingdoms is fluid and debated
    • Eukaryotic Kingdoms:
      • Protista: Diverse, includes both autotrophs and heterotrophs, mostly unicellular
      • Fungi: Heterotrophs, mostly multicellular, cell walls of chitin
      • Plantae: Autotrophs, multicellular, cell walls of cellulose
      • Animalia: Multicellular, heterotrophic

Specificity in Classification

  • Further hierarchy: Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species
  • Species: Most specific classification

Scientific Naming

  • Binomial nomenclature by Carl Linnaeus
    • Uses Latin/Greek roots
    • Genus: Capitalized, italicized
    • Species epithet: Lowercase, italicized

Importance of Scientific Names

  • Provides a specific, universally recognized naming system
  • Example: Mountain lion has many common names but one scientific name

Conclusion

  • Encouragement to remain curious about science and classification
  • Contact information for Amoeba Sisters' social media

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