Biological Classification: Species and Taxonomy

Taxonomic Categories

• A species is a group of individual organisms with fundamental similarities.
• Specific epithets (e.g., indica, tuberosum, leo) represent different organisms within a genus.
• A genus (e.g., Mangifera, Solanum, Panthera) is a higher level of taxon, comprising related species.
• Each genus may have one or more specific epithets representing different organisms.

Species

• Mangifera indica, Solanum tuberosum (potato), and Panthera leo (lion) are examples of species.
• Human beings belong to the species sapiens, grouped in the genus Homo, with the scientific name Homo sapiens.

Genus

• A genus comprises a group of related species with more characters in common compared to species of other genera.
• Examples of genera include Solanum (potato, brinjal) and Panthera (lion, leopard, tiger).

Family

• A family is a group of related genera with still fewer similarities compared to genus and species.
• Examples of families include Solanaceae (Solanum, Petunia, Datura) and Felidae (Panthera, Felis).

Order

• Order is a higher category, identified based on the aggregates of characters.
• Examples of orders include Polymoniales (Convolvulaceae, Solanaceae) and Carnivora (Felidae, Canidae).

Class

• A class includes related orders.
• Examples of classes include Mammalia (order Primata, order Carnivora) and others.

Phylum

• A phylum is the next higher category, comprising classes.
• Examples of phyla include Chordata (classes Mammalia, Amphibia, Reptilia, Aves).

Biodiversity

• The number of species known and described ranges between 1.7-1.8 million.
• New organisms are continuously being identified as we explore new areas.

Definition of Living Organisms

• The question "what is living?" is a technical one, seeking an answer to what living is as opposed to non-living.
• As scientists, we focus on the technical aspect of this question, rather than the philosophical one.

This quiz covers the concept of species in biological classification, including identifying similarities and differences among organisms and distinguishing between closely related species.