Basic Taxonomy
This is for snowleopard55
Living organisms are classified according to a set system of classification called "taxonomy".
The classifcation goes from most general (Kingdom) to most specific (Species) and has 5 categories inbetween.
Kingdom
Phylum
Class
Order
Family
Genus
Species
There are only five kingdoms: Monera (bacteria), Protoctista (protists, like amoebas), Fungi (mushrooms, molds, etc.), Plantae (plants), and Animalia (animals).
Each kingdom is futher broken up into phylums, the phylums into classes, the classes into orders, and so on.
Let's go for some examples, shall we?
Within Kingdom Animalia, we have a whole lot of phylums, including Phylum Vertebrata.
Phylum Vertebrata has a number of classes: Chondrichthyes (cartilaginous fishes), Osteichthyes (bony fishes), Amphibia (amphibians like frogs and salamanders), Reptilia (snakes, lizards, etc.), Aves (birds), and Mammalia (that's you and me, as well as cats and rats and a whole lot of others).
Now, within Class Reptilia, we have a certain number of Orders: Chelonia (turtles), Crocodilia (crocs and alligators), Lacertilia (lizards), and Ophidia (snakes).
Within Order Chelonia, we have several families including: Trionychidae (softshell turtles), Testudinidae (land tortoises), Emydidae (box turtles, map turtles, and sliders), Chelydridae (snapping turtles), and Kinosternidae (mud and musk turtles.
Now, the Genuses in each order are too numerous to name; however, within each genus there may be more than one species. Once you are down to the species level, however, there is only one animal that has that particular genus and species. So, Chelodina parkeri would only refer to one kind of animal in the world, the Parker's snake-necked turtle.
However! There can be other animals that have the species name parkeri that do not have the same genus. Hyperolius parkeri, for example, is a kind of frog! Species is the only classification that can be shared between different animals; all other classifications are unique to that group of animals. In other words, all Chelodina genus animals are going to be snake-necked turtles. All Chelonia Order animals are going to be turtles. All Reptilia animals are going to be reptiles.
So, the complete classification for the Chelodina parkeri turtle would be:
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Vertebrata
Class Reptilia
Order Chelonia
Family Chelinidae
Genus Chelodina
Species parkeri
I hope this makes sense!
Living organisms are classified according to a set system of classification called "taxonomy".
The classifcation goes from most general (Kingdom) to most specific (Species) and has 5 categories inbetween.
Kingdom
Phylum
Class
Order
Family
Genus
Species
There are only five kingdoms: Monera (bacteria), Protoctista (protists, like amoebas), Fungi (mushrooms, molds, etc.), Plantae (plants), and Animalia (animals).
Each kingdom is futher broken up into phylums, the phylums into classes, the classes into orders, and so on.
Let's go for some examples, shall we?
Within Kingdom Animalia, we have a whole lot of phylums, including Phylum Vertebrata.
Phylum Vertebrata has a number of classes: Chondrichthyes (cartilaginous fishes), Osteichthyes (bony fishes), Amphibia (amphibians like frogs and salamanders), Reptilia (snakes, lizards, etc.), Aves (birds), and Mammalia (that's you and me, as well as cats and rats and a whole lot of others).
Now, within Class Reptilia, we have a certain number of Orders: Chelonia (turtles), Crocodilia (crocs and alligators), Lacertilia (lizards), and Ophidia (snakes).
Within Order Chelonia, we have several families including: Trionychidae (softshell turtles), Testudinidae (land tortoises), Emydidae (box turtles, map turtles, and sliders), Chelydridae (snapping turtles), and Kinosternidae (mud and musk turtles.
Now, the Genuses in each order are too numerous to name; however, within each genus there may be more than one species. Once you are down to the species level, however, there is only one animal that has that particular genus and species. So, Chelodina parkeri would only refer to one kind of animal in the world, the Parker's snake-necked turtle.
However! There can be other animals that have the species name parkeri that do not have the same genus. Hyperolius parkeri, for example, is a kind of frog! Species is the only classification that can be shared between different animals; all other classifications are unique to that group of animals. In other words, all Chelodina genus animals are going to be snake-necked turtles. All Chelonia Order animals are going to be turtles. All Reptilia animals are going to be reptiles.
So, the complete classification for the Chelodina parkeri turtle would be:
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Vertebrata
Class Reptilia
Order Chelonia
Family Chelinidae
Genus Chelodina
Species parkeri
I hope this makes sense!