The l)iversity ol Living
Things
Ctassilication
I n f o r m o l i o nC o r d # 3
THESCIENTIFIC
CLASSIFICATION
OF PLANTS
ANDANIMALS
KINGDOM
Todoy,scienllsts
clossifyplonlsond onimolsby beginningwiththe lorgesfgroupingond lhen
workingdownwordlo smollergroups.Thelorgeslgroup iscolled o kingdom.Everylivingthinglifsinto
one of five kingdoms.Thefivekingdomsore protists,
monerons,fungi,plonls,ond onimols.
PHYLU
M
Thefive kingdomsore divided intolorge groupscolled phylo.Animolshove been divided
infotwenty-fivephylo.Theonimolsin one phylummoy livein differenlporlsof the worldond be of
ditferentsizes,shopesond colours.Thewoy they liveond rnove moy be differentbul fhey ore
similorIn b<rsicstructure.
Forexomple,fhe elephont,lhefishond the polorbeor moy be in lhe
sornephylumChordolobecouselhey oll hove o bockbone.
CLASS
A phylumis brokendown infothe nextsmollerdivisionscolled closses,Clossmembers
hqve morechorocierislics
in commonlhon the membersof o phylum.Forexomplqthe
phylumChordoto,onimolswithbockbones,is brokendown inlo clossesof repfiles,birds,fish,
mommolsond omphibions.Allthe onimolsin o clos shorefhe somechorocferislics
bul ore
seporofedby lhe olhersby ihe woy they live.Forexomple,birdsond omphibionsore bolh
membersof the clossChordotobut omphibionsspendmostof theklime in woterwhitemosl
birdsdon't.
ORDER
Thenexl lowerclossificolionofter clossisorder.An orderconsislsof groups
thot ore moreolikethon thosein o closs.In the clossMommolio,for inslonce.ollthe
onimolsproducemilkfor theiryoung.Dogsond cots ore mommols,but lhey olsoeol
meol ond so lhey ore groupedlogefherin lhe orderCornivoro.
FAMILY
A fomilyismqde up of groupsthol ore even moreolikefhon lhosein
lhe order.Forexomple,wofuesond ligersore bolh of lhe orderCornivoro,
but wolvesore in lhe fomilyCqnldoe.Allmembersof lhe Conidoefomily
hove long snoufsond bushyloils.
GENUS
Genusis mode up of groupslhof ore verysimilor,buf fhe
groupsconnof breed together.Coyotesond wolvesore bofh of the
genusConisbul do not usuollybreedwithone onother.
SPECIES
Speciesisfhe smollestgroup. Membersof specieshove
monycommonchoroclerislics,
but lhey differfromollolher
formsof life in one or morewoys.A speclesis nof on individuol
onimol,it iso populotionof onimols.Theycon breedwilh one
onolherond the younggrow up lo looklikefhe porenfs.
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The Diversity of Living
Things
Cla ssif ication
The Scientific Clossificofionof Plontsond Animols
Cord #3 ond fhenfillin lhe blonksbesideeoch group of orgonisms.
Reodinformotion
Couldeoch groupmosioccurolelybe describedos membersof fhe somekingdom,
cord for
phylum, closs,order, fomily, genus, or species. Referfo lhe informolion
for eoch choice.Reodond thinkcorefully!
clues.Givereosons
l . i n s e c t sb, i r d s ,m o m m o l s
Reoson:
2 . w o l f, c o l , l i o n
Reoson:
3 . c r o y f i s h , . c e n l i p e d e i,n s e c l
Reoson:
4.sponiel,poodle, collie
Reoson:
5. grey wolf , limber wolf, coyole
Reoson:
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