Classification Unit Flashcards
Classification
the arrangement of animals and plants in taxonomic groups according to their observed similarities (including at least kingdom and phylum in animals, division in plants, and class, order, family, genus, and species).
Taxonomy
the classification of something, especially organisms.
Binomial nomenclature
the system of nomenclature in which two terms are used to denote a species of living organism, the first one indicating the genus and the second the specific epithet.
Taxon
a taxonomic group of any rank, such as a species, family, or class.
Genus
a principal taxonomic category that ranks above species and below family, and is denoted by a capitalized Latin name.
Family
a taxonomic rank, or a taxon at that rank.
Order
A taxonomic rank used in classifying organisms.
Class
a taxonomic rank, as well as a taxonomic unit, a taxon, in that rank.
Phylum
a level of classification or taxonomic rank below kingdom and above class.
Division
a rank equivalent to phylum.
Kingdom
the second highest taxonomic rank.
Domain
the highest taxonomic rank in the hierarchical biological classification system.
Phylogeny
the history of the evolution of a species or group.
Characters
any observable feature, or trait, of an organism, whether acquired or inherited.
Molecular clock
a tool used to calculate the timing of evolutionary events.
