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Linnaean classification system

Inheritance, variation and evolution • Classification of living organisms

Key concepts

What you'll likely be quizzed about

  • The Linnaean hierarchy orders groups from largest to smallest: kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, species.
  • Each level contains organisms that share more characteristics than the level above.
  • For example, a family groups genera that exhibit greater anatomical and physiological similarities than the broader order.
  • The hierarchy starts with the most general similarities and progresses to the most specific, creating nested groups that reveal increasing similarity.

Flashcards

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Example genus and species

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The binomial name for humans is Homo sapiens; Homo is the genus and sapiens the species.

Key notes

Important points to keep in mind

Kingdom is the broadest grouping; species is the most specific.

Binomial names use genus then species, italicized with capital only for genus.

Classification groups increase in similarity from kingdom to species.

Species typically interbreed to produce fertile offspring; exceptions require genetic evidence.

Genetic data can reassign organisms to different orders or families despite analogous anatomy.

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