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?
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Strelitzia reginae |
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Paradiasea raggiana |
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Kingdom: Plantae |
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Kingdom: Animalia |
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Division: Vascular (has specialised tissues for conducting water) |
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Phyllum: Chordata (has a spinal chord) |
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Class: Angiospermae (flowering plant) |
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Class: Aves (birds) |
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Order: Zingiberales (large herbaceous plants, all have leaves like banana plants) |
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Order: Passeriformes (songbirds) |
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Family: Strelitziaceae |
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Family: Paradisaeidae |
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Genus: Strelitzia |
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Genus: Paradisaea |
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Species: reginae |
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Species: raggiana |