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Classification and Nomenclature of Organism

The document discusses the classification and nomenclature of organisms, emphasizing the importance of organizing the diversity of life on Earth into systematic categories for study and identification. It outlines the principles of biological classification, the need for classification, and the significance of nomenclature, including the binomial system established by Carolus Linnaeus. Additionally, it details the taxonomic hierarchy, the rules of nomenclature, and the various categories used in classification.
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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
14 views9 pages

Classification and Nomenclature of Organism

The document discusses the classification and nomenclature of organisms, emphasizing the importance of organizing the diversity of life on Earth into systematic categories for study and identification. It outlines the principles of biological classification, the need for classification, and the significance of nomenclature, including the binomial system established by Carolus Linnaeus. Additionally, it details the taxonomic hierarchy, the rules of nomenclature, and the various categories used in classification.
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Classification and Nomenclature of Organism

Classification determines methods for organizing the diversity of life on Earth.

Since life first appeared on Earth 3.5 billion years ago, many new types of organisms have
evolved.

Many of these organisms have become extinct, while some have developed into the present flora
and fauna of the world. It is believed that the extinct species may outnumber the living ones by
50 to 100 times.

At the same time a large number of species are still unknown and yet to be identified and
described. Every year about 15,000 new species are discovered. Thus, extinction and
diversification continue nonstop on earth, and some of these we know by the fossils (impressions
or dead remains of past organisms) they left behind in the rocks. In order to study the vast
diversified world of living and extinct organisms it is essential to classify them into groups
(categories) so that they could be named, remembered and studies properly.

Basics in Biological Classification:


Biological Classification involves the techniques of characterization, identification,
nomenclature and grouping of organisms. Sometimes, the terms such as biological classification,
taxonomy and systematic are used as synonyms. However, G. Simpson (1961) regards them as
separate fields.

He explained classification as the ordering of organisms into groups and taxonomy as the study
of principles and procedures of classification. He considered systematics as the study of
organisms and their diversities and the evolutionary relationships among them. The scope of
systematics includes identification, nomenclature and classification.

Need of Classification:
Classification is the arrangement of organisms into groups and sub-groups on the basis of
similarities and dissimilarities and placing them in a hierarchy that brings out their relationships.

The organisms should be classified due to following reasons:


a) Classification makes identification and the study of a wide variety of organisms easy.
b) It reveals inter-relationships among different groups of organisms.
c) It gives information about the organisms and fossils of other localities.
Importance of Classification:
The contribution of classification is complementary to all branches of basic and applied biology
directly or indirectly.

1. Understanding the diversity:


Classification helps in knowing about bio-resources, their diversity and evolution.

2. Understanding phylogeny:
Classification based on the studies of fossil reveal evolutionary relationships (phylogeny) among
the organisms. For example, the fossil of Cooksonia that appeared about 420 million years ago
was the first known vascular land plant from which other vascular plan is have descended.
Similarly the Archaefructus and Amborella are the oldest known angiosperms in the fossil
record.

3. Inter-relations:
Classification is essential to understand the inter-relationships among different categories of
organisms.

4. Development of other Biological Science:


Classification provides information for the development of all branches of biology, e.g.,
biogeography, ecology, ethology, forestry etc.

5. In agriculture and forestry:


Taxonomic knowledge provides vital information about the pests and hosts that is essential for a
cultivator before undertaking any control measures.

6. Mineral Prospecting:
Taxonomy gives the correct sequence of geological events in an area. It is basic to any search for
fossil fuels and mineral deposits.

7. Biological Control:
Taxonomic knowledge is essential for accurate identification of pests and its natural enemies.
Now a days instead of insecticides (chemical control), natural enemies of pest are introduced for
biological control. Thus, correct identification of target species ensures a effective control at
minimum costs. It would otherwise confusing, expensive and even chances of introducing wrong
control agents.
8. Conservation of wild life:
Due to human greed and ignorance, many species of flora and fauna have become extinct and
many others are following suit. Taxonomists help to identify these endangered species and help
in initiating the wild life conservation programmes.

9. Quarantine:
The spreading of new pests and diseases from one country to the other through the agency of
human is called quarantine. It can be checked by establishing quarantine laboratories at airports,
seaports, railway stations etc. Here, taxonomists provide correct and prompt identification of the
pest of disease.

Nomenclature
Latin
Nome = Name
Calere = To Call
The term nomenclature means the scientific naming of organisms according to an established
system. The naming of plants on a scientific basis is called botanical or plant nomenclature. In
earlier days common or vernacular names were in use which generally changes with change of
language. Later in the haunt of one common internationally accepted name for a species,
scientific names (Technical names) have been introduced in form of polynomial, binomial and
trinomial systems of nomenclature.

(a) Polynomial Nomenclature:


Before 1750, taxonomists started using a string of descriptive Latin words to designate a species.
For example, in the herbal of Clusius (1583) a species of willow is named Salix pumila
angustifolia altera.

However polynomial nomenclature was discarded for two reasons:


(i) It was lengthy and difficult to remember

(ii) It often differs from scholar to scholar based on the characters chosen by them.

(b) Trinomial Nomenclature:


Mayer (1953) introduced the concept of sub-species which meant the geographically defined
aggregates of local populations. The naming of a species, especially the animals, up to sub-
species level is called trinomial nomenclature, e.g. Homo sapiens sapiens, Homo sapiens
Neanderthals. Botanists don’t consider trinomial nomenclature.
Binomial Nomenclature:
Carolus Linnaeus (Karl Von Linnae), the great Swedish naturalist, devised binomial system of
nomenclature in his book Philosophia Botanica (1751). Now the binomial system of scientific
naming of organisms becomes a common and established practice.

According to binomial nomenclature, the scientific name of an organism composed of two Latin
or Latinized words i.e. the first word is called genus (= generic name or generic epithet) followed
by the second word called species (= specific name or specific epithet). For example, the
botanical name of sugarcane is Saccharum officinarum. Very rarely the generic and specific
names are same. They are called tautonymes, e.g. Gorilla gorilla, Catla catla, Naja naja, Rattus
rattus etc. Some organisms (fossils and most microorganisms) are known by their technical
names only.

Rules of Binomial nomenclature:


The rules of nomenclature are framed and standardized by five separate codes such as:
(i) International Code of Botanical Nomenclature (ICBN),

(ii) International code of Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN),

(iii) International Code of Bacteriological Nomenclature (ICBacN),

(iv) International Code of Viral Nomenclature (ICVN) and

(v) International Code of Nomenclature for Cultivated Plants (1CNCP).

These codes help in avoiding errors, duplication, confusion and ambiguity in scientific names.

Some rules framed under these codes as well as the rules set by Linnaeus are as follows:
1. The scientific names of plants and animals should be in Latin or Greek because it is officially
dead language. The use of Latin for naming also means that no-one can be offended by being
forced 10 use someone else’s language.

2. The scientific names prior to the 1.8.1758 for animals of Systema Naturae (10th Edition) and
1.5.1753 for plants of Species Plantarum by Linnaeus are not recognized.

3. These names should be in italics when printed or separately underlined when hand written to
indicate their Latin origin.
4. The genus starts with capital letter, while species in small letter.

5. The name of the author, first reporting it should remain in abbreviated form at the end of the
scientific name and it is printed in Roman, e.g. Oriza sativa Linn. The scientific name with name
of the author at the end is called complete scientific name.

6. Only one valid name for one species is permitted and it is based on the rule of priority that is
the author first effectively and validly publishing the name will be considered.

7. In case of changing a scientific name that is double citation, the name of the second author is
placed in bracket after the scientific name and the first author’s name in abbreviated form comes
after that, the new name is always based on the older name and it is called the basionym.

8. To avoid confusion no two generic names in any kingdom can be same. Specific names can
however be repeated as they often qualify the generic name. For example, the specific name of
both mango (Mangifera indica) and tamarind (Tamarindus indicus) are the same which mean
Indian.

9. The reporting of a new species of plant should be accompanied by a Latin description or


Diagnosis.

10. When a plant species is reported, the author should submit a herbarium sheet of the specimen
(Dried plant with reproductive part placed on a sheet of paper). This is designated as type
specimen (holotype, isotype, paratype, topotype, lectotype etc.). Holotype is the type specimen
submitted by the original author at the time of publication. All other specimens of the same
species collected at the same time are called isotypes.

The specimen cited with the original description other than holotype or isotype(s) is called
paratype. When the same specimen is collected from the same locality from where the holotype
was collected is called topotype. In absence of a holotype, the type specimen selected from the
original material by a subsequent author is called lectotype. In the absence of original type
specimen, a new specimen selected from a new location by a new author is called neotype. This
concept of permanent naming to a type specimen is called typification and the type specimens
should be preserved in the Herbaria of all international Botanic Gardens.

Hierarchy of Classification:
Classification is not a single step process but solves hierarchy of steps in which each step
represents a rank or category. A category is an abstract term which basically represents a rank or
taxon (plural: taxa). A taxon represents a group of real biological objects having a set of common
features called correlated characters. For example, Monera is a taxon of bacteria belonging to
category kingdom.

All the categories arranged in ascending order constitute a taxonomic hierarchy. There are seven
obligate categories used in taxonomical studies of all known organisms which are: Kingdom,
Division (for plants) or Phylum (for animals), class, order, family, genus and species. These
broad categories have been further divided into sub-categories by using prefix super-sub-or infra-
to facilitate more sound and scientific placement of various taxa. As we go from the species to
kingdom, the number of correlated characters goes on decreasing.

Linnaeus first introduced the hierarchical system of classification and is called Linnaean
hierarchy. In his classification two categories i.e. phylum and family were not included. In
taxonomic hierarchy, species is the basic unit of classification and is the lowest category while
kingdom is the top most category.

In addition an eighth category, called domain (synonymous with super-kingdom) is sometimes


used above the kingdom level. Recently a new category “tribe” has been incorporated between
genus and sub-family while “paravorder” incorporated between infraorder and super-family. The
purpose of the introduction of parvorder and tribe was to allow a steady gradient in time among
the level of classification.

Codes and Rules of Nomenclature

There are five codes of nomenclature:


(i) International Code of Botanical Nomenclature (ICBN),

(ii) International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN),

(iii) International Code of Bacteriological Nomenclature (IC Вас N),

(iv) International Code of Viral Nomenclature (ICVN) and

(v) International Code of Nomenclature for Cultivated Plants (ICNCP).


International conferences are held from time to time to update the codes and resolve the contro-
versies, if any.

The rules of nomenclature framed under these codes as well as the rules set by Linnaeus
are as follows:
1. Each organism is given only one name consisting of two words, generic and specific.

2. Though the codes are separate for plants, animals, bacteria, etc. and the same generic name
can be given to different organisms belonging to these domains, it should be avoided. However
the same specific name can be given to organisms belonging to different genera. Two species
belonging to the same genus cannot have similar specific names.

3. The generic name is written first. It is followed by specific name and then the name of the
discoverer in full or in abbreviation.

4. The specific name can be single or compound. Usually it begins with a small letter.

5. The scientific name is printed in italics. It is underlined in handwritten description. An


exception is made when the biological name is written as title of paragraph.

6. The name of the author is kept in Roman script.

7. The original names were taken from Latin and Greek languages. New names are now derived
either from Latin language or are Latinized. This is because Latin language is dead and,
therefore, it will not change in form or spellings with the passage of time.

8. Barring obvious error or misprint, a scientific name retains its original spellings.

9. No names are recognised prior to those used by Linnaeus in 1753 for plants in “Species
Plantarum” and in 1758 for animals in the 10th edition of “Systema Naturae”.

10. The names of families and subfamilies should be based on name of type genus.

11. The names of subfamilies, families and other categories are not printed in italics. They can,
however, be written in bold letters.

12. When a species is transferred or revised the name of the original worker is retained but in
parenthesis, e.g., Syzygium cumini (L) Skeels.
13. In publishing a new name the type specimen of the material is kept.

14. A new scientific name is thought of on the basis of its characteristic, a personality or place.
The selected name is such that it has no resemblance with any previously published name.

What Are Taxonomic Hierarchy Categories?

Taxonomic Hierarchy Categories were also introduced by Linnaeus. They are also known as
Linnaean hierarchy. It is defined as sequence of categories in a decreasing or increasing order
from kingdom to species and vice versa. Kingdom is the highest rank followed by division, class,
order, family, genus and species. Species is the lowest rank in the Hierarchy. The hierarchy has
two categories which are obligate and intermediate. Obligate means they are followed strictly
and range from kingdom to species as said above. Intermediate are not followed strictly and they
are added in obligate list such as subdivision, super family, super class, suborder, subspecies etc.

1. Species: Group of population which is similar in form, shape and reproductive features so that
fertile sibling can be produced. Some siblings can be sterile when a hybrid is produced. A hybrid
can be product of female horse & male donkey (Mule). Or male tiger & female lion known as
Tigon. Sexual reproduction is present in eukaryotes. Species is followed by subspecies, varieties
and races. These categories are inferior as compared to species.

2. Genus: It is defined as group of similar species. But it is not mandatory to have many species.
Some genera have only one species known as Monotypic. If there are more than one species it is
known as polytypic. For example lion, tiger are quite similar species placed under the genus
Panthera.

3. Family: It is defined as collection of similar genera. It can be separated from genera by


reproductive and vegetative features. For example, cats and leopard are included in the family
felidae.

4. Order: One or more than one similar families constitute order. Family felidae are included in
the order Carnivora.
5. Class: One or more than one order makes a class. Class mammalia includes all mammals
which are bats, rodents, kangaroos, whales, great apes and man.

6. Phylum: It is a term used for animals while its synonym division is used for plants. It is a
collection of similar classes. Phylum chordata of animals has class mammalia along with birds,
reptiles and amphibians.
7. Kingdom: The top most taxonomic category. Example all animals are included in Kingdom
animalia.The unit in classification that denotes grouping of organism based on features which are
observable is known as Taxon.
The different methods used to identify and classify organisms are referred to Taxonomic aids.
Identification of organisms is a tedious process. Keys are used for identification referred as
Taxonomic key. It includes a long table of statements with alternative features to identify
organisms. The features which are related to organism are chosen.

The statement is referred to key. There are separate keys for different taxonomic category.
Basically, they are of two types indented and bracketed. The former constitutes range of choices
between two or more features. While the later uses contrasting features with each feature having
a specific number enclosed in brackets.

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