TAXONOMY REFRESHER COURSE

 

ÒTaxonomyÓ (aka ÒSystematics) is the scientific classification of organisms that shows their relationships to one another.  It is based on physical and genetic characteristics and allows us to group / distinguish things following a hierarchy of broadest-to-most-unique features.  By assigning a unique scientific name, derived from Latin and Greek, we eliminate confusion from the use of Òcommon names.Ó

 

For example, if you tell me you saw a ÒBird of Paradise,Ó do you mean the plant from southern Africa or the bird that lives in Papau New Guinea?

 

 

Strelitzia reginae

 

 

Paradiasea raggiana

 

 

Kingdom:  Plantae

 

 

 

Kingdom:  Animalia

Division:  Vascular (has specialised tissues for conducting water)

 

 

Phyllum:  Chordata (has a spinal chord)

Class:  Angiospermae (flowering plant)

 

Class:  Aves (birds)

Order:  Zingiberales (large herbaceous

plants, all have leaves like banana plants)

 

 

Order:  Passeriformes (songbirds)

Family:  Strelitziaceae

 

Family:  Paradisaeidae

Genus:  Strelitzia

 

Genus: Paradisaea

Species:  reginae

 

Species: raggiana