Classification

Classification

Classification What is classification? – Organising living things into groups: • Anatomy • Genetics

Horseshoe crab Anatomically - looks like a crab Genetically - more closely related to spiders

Classification

Why classify organisms?

Blue whale - MAMMAL

Classification Why classify organisms? • Helps others understand which species you are talking about • Can group species based on shared characteristics • To study phylogeny – how related species are

Emperor penguin - BIRD

Dusky dolphin - MAMMAL

Classification • Linnaean classification – Genus and species, e.g. Homo sapiens

Panthera leo

Panthera tigris

Classification • Genus and species are the tip of the iceberg

• There are many different levels in the classification hierarchy • Top level is the 5 Kingdoms:

– – – – –

Protists Prokaryotes Fungi Plants Animals

(e.g. amoebae, algae) (e.g. bacteria, archaebacteria)

Classification Kingdom Animalia • ~ 1.26 million animal species

• Vertebrates and invertebrates

Monarch butterfly INVERTEBRATE

• ~ 1.2 million are invertebrates (e.g. insects, crustaceans) • ~ 60,000 are vertebrates

Great white shark VERTEBRATE

Classification INVERTEBRATES • No spinal column (also called backbone) • No internal skeleton

VERTEBRATES • Have a spinal column • Have an internal skeleton

Seven-spot ladybird INVERTEBRATE

Vertebrates are divided into five groups: • Fish • Amphibians • Reptiles • Birds • Mammals Purple frog VERTEBRATE

The Vertebrates Mammals • Produce milk from mammary glands to feed young

• Maintain constant body temperature (warmblooded) • Covering of hair • Give birth to live young

The Vertebrates Birds • Maintain a constant body temperature (warm-blooded)

• Reproduce by laying eggs • Have feathers • Most can fly • Have a beak

The Vertebrates Reptiles • Don’t regulate body temperature (cold-blooded) • Tough scaly skin

• Most lay eggs with leathery shells

The Vertebrates Amphibians • Don’t regulate body temperature (cold-blooded) • Lay eggs in water • Life cycle involves transformation from aquatic larvae to terrestrial adult • Can respire through porous skin

The Vertebrates

Fish • A collection of four distantly related groups • Breathe underwater using internal gills for gas exchange • Body covered with scales • Most don’t regulate body temperature (cold-blooded)

Vertebrates

Activity 1: Guess Zoo • Get into groups of 6 - 8

• Take a species card - DO NOT LOOK AT IT! • Hold the card on your head for the rest of your group to see • Take turns to ask Yes or No Questions to work out which animal you are • Ask questions based on classification – e.g. do I have cold blood?

Note: Asking if you are a mammal, bird, reptile, amphibian or fish is against the rules!

Invertebrates

Activity 2: Insect classification Insects are probably the most successful of all invertebrates. All insects have: • An external skeleton • A body split into three segments – head, thorax and abdomen • Six jointed legs, one pair on each body segment • Antennae

Invertebrates

Activity 2: Insect classification Most insects have: • 2 or 4 wings for all or part of their life • Compound eyes

Invertebrates

Activity 2: Insect classification 1. Use a computer to research the following insect orders: Coleoptera, Hymenoptera, Lepidoptera, Diptera, Odonata 2. Using www.ARKive.org for inspiration, draw a typical species of 1 or 2 of these groups on A3 paper 3. Label the diagram with the defining features of the insect order it belongs to

Orthoptera -

Grasshoppers and crickets

Stridulation – rubbing wings/legs/abdomen to create sound Wings folded over abdomen

Large eyes

Ovipositor

Incomplete metamorphosis

Ears in legs or abdomen

Discussion questions • Why do we classify organisms? • What are the defining characteristics of mammals? • What are the defining characteristics of insects?