Biol 1203 lecture material

GENERAL BIOLOGY II- TAXONOMY AND CLASSIFICATION

 MARYAM ABACHA AMERICAN UNIVERSITY NIGERIA
SCHOOL OF HEALTH SCIENCES AND NURSING SCIENCES

COURSE CODE: BIO 1203

COURSE TITLE: GENERAL BIOLOGY II
COURSE INSTRUCTOR: MAL. ISMAIL BASHIR
 BIOL1203:LECTURE MATERIAL
WHAT DO YOU UNDERSTAND BY “BIOLOGY” ???

The term “biology” was derived from the Greek words Bios meaning (= life) + logos (= study ) therefore, it can
literally be defined as the study of life. Technically biology is the study of living organisms including their
Anatomy, physiology, classifications, genetics, Evolutions, Ecology, and population.
 The world contains a vast number and diverse forms of Living organisms, with complex relationships and
evolutionary histories Biology is concerned with the complete study of life - i.e. how organisms function, live,
reproduce, and interact with their environment
Even a mere observation of the world around you will reveal organisms with varying shapes, sizes, colors, and
different degrees in similarities of features or behaviors.
Biology is broadly subdivided into two main branches namely: Zoology and Botany, and has many disciplines,
all attempting to provide a true picture of the nature of Living things
This Course, focused on a generalized survey of Animal kingdom based on similarities and differences in their
External features
 TAXONOMY AND CLASSIFICATIONS OF LIVING ORGANISMS

 The first attempt to classify living organisms was made by a Greek philosopher called Aristotle (384-322
BC).
 The present Method of classifying and naming Living Organisms is based on the work of a Swedish Botanist;
Carl Linnaeus in (1707-1778).
 Many organisms have been examined, named, and classified so far and there are still many more to even be
discovered. A Branch of Biology concerned with general principles of classification is known as Taxonomy.
 Taxonomy: Is the Science of identifying, naming, and classifying organisms on the basis of their degree of
similarity of anatomical features and arranging them on the basis of their evolutionary relationships.
 Taxonomic classification is the grouping of different organisms on the basis of shared features into different
categories called Taxa (singular=Taxon). This means that Organisms that share similar features are placed in
the same category /Taxon. Different taxa are then arranged in a hierarchical manner (either in ascending or
descending order) starting from lower to higher ranks and vice versa.
 TAXONOMY AND CLASSIFICATIONS OF LIVING ORGANISMS

Kingdom Phylum Class Family Genus Specie

 As we go down the hierarchy (as shown above) the variety of Organisms decreases. Scientists used broader
features to put Organisms into Kingdoms hence it has the highest varieties of Organisms, making it the largest
taxon. They have certain important features in common but show many differences.
 When you move down towards the Species, features are becoming Specific. The Species is the smallest taxon,
members are identical in general appearance, and they can mate with one another to produce fertile offspring.
 You are probably aware of the fact that Horses and Donkeys belong to the same Kingdom, Phylum, Class,
Order, Family as well as Genus but they are from different Species. Therefore, if a Donkey and the Horse
happen to breed, they produce an offspring called Mule. The Mule is infertile; meaning that it cannot reproduce
offspring because it is a product of Organisms of different Species.
 KINGDOMS
 All living Organisms were placed into two Kingdoms by Carl Linnaeus. These are Plantae and Animalia hence
called Two – kingdom system of classification. In this classification, many one-celled organisms could not fit in
properly; it failed to establish a clear-cut distinction between Plants and Animals. It also could not indicate correct
relations among Organisms.
 In 1969, an American taxonomist, R. H. Whittaker proposed the Five- kingdom/ Whittaker’s system of
classification which is generally used at present. The five Kingdoms are:
1) Kingdom Monera.
2) Kingdom Protista.
3) Kingdom Fungi/Mycota.
4) Kingdom Plantae.
5) Kingdom Animalia.
 Whittaker delimited the five kingdoms on the basis of three main criteria viz. cell structure type, degree of
cellular organization, and mode of nutrition. Besides these major characteristics, he has also given importance
to characters of ecological role-played and mode of reproduction.
 CHARACHTERISTICS OF KINGDOMS
KINGDOM MONERA (PROKARYOTES)
 They are the simplest Living Organisms made of single Cell (Unicellular organisms)
 They lack a true/ definite nucleus hence Chromosomes are not enclosed by nuclear membrane and lie free in the
Cytoplasm.
 They can be motile or non-motile
 They could be Heterotrophic (e.g. Bacteria) or Autotrophic (e.g. Cyano-bacteria/Blue-green Algae).

KINGDOM PROTISTA (EUKARYOTES)

 Organisms here are mostly unicellular (Single-celled Organisms).
 They are much larger than the Monerans.
 Have Complex Cell Structure with a definite Nucleus.
 They can be motile or non-motile
 Some are like plants because they possess Cell walls and Chloroplast (that contains Chlorophyll for Photosynthesis) e.g.
Chlamydomonas, while others are Animal-like e.g. Amoeba and Paramecium. Some show both Plant and Animal
characteristics e.g. Euglena.
 CHARACHTERISTICS OF KINGDOMS
KINGDOM MYCOTA/FUNGI (EUKARYOTES)
 They are non-motile Organisms with thread-like structures called Hyphae.
 They are Saprophytic Organisms, (Obtain Food through absorption from the surface of an organism)
 Reproduction could be by asexual or sexual or sexual spores. Examples include Moulds, Mushrooms, and Yeasts.

KINGDOM PLANTAE (PLANT KINGDOM)

 They are Autotrophic (self-dependent) due to the presence of chlorophyll for photosynthesis.
 They are non-motile but motile stages at certain levels.
 Contain both Unicellular and Multi-Cellular Organisms.
 Plant Cells have cellulose Cell walls.
 Kingdom Plantae can be divided into 2 major groups: Cryptogams (Seedless/non-flowering Plants/non-vascular Plants):
in this group are Thallophytes (e.g. Spirogyra), Bryophytes (e.g. Moss) and Pteridophytes (e.g. Ferns).
 Phanerogams (Seed Plants/flowering Plants/Vascular Plants): in this group are Angiosperms (Seed enclosed in a fruit) and
Gymnosperms (Seed naked).
 CHARACHTERISTICS OF KINGDOMS
KINGDOM ANIMALIA
Kingdom Animalia is the largest Kingdom and constitutes all animals.
 They are Multicellular, eukaryotes.
 They lack cell walls and Chlorophyll (photosynthetic pigments)
 Heterotrophic mode of nutrition (obtain nutrients by ingesting other organisms).
 Some members exhibit Tissue differentiation, and complex Organ systems and move freely,
 Some have specialized nervous tissue for coordination and quick response to stimuli,

KINGDOM ANIMALIA IS CLASSIFIED INTO TWO (2) SUB-KINGDOMS/GROUPS NAMELY

 Invertebrates (Animals without backbone)
 Vertebrata (Animals with a backbone).

Apart from the primary distinguished features of the Animal Kingdom (Multicellular eukaryotes, Heterotrophs, Absence of
Cell walls), each Phylum has organisms that have common characteristics
 Criteria of Classifying Kingdom Animalia
1. Body Symmetry: This refers to balanced proportions or correspondence in size and shape of parts on opposites of a median
plane. Based on this feature, Animals are characterized as either:

 Bilateral symmetry refers to the arrangement of the parts of an animal in which the body can be divided into two halves that
are mirror images of each other along a linear plane

 Radial symmetry: refers to a proportional arrangement of similar parts of a body around a central axis which can be divided
into two halves that are mirror images of each other along any plane)

 Asymmetry: refers to an irregular body form/arrangement in which the body cannot be divided into two halves that are mirror
images of each other along any plane.
 Criteria of Classifying Kingdom Animalia
1. Segmentation and Metamerism): Metamerism is a division of the body into a series of segments, each containing similar
components of all major organ systems). Each segment is called Metamere or Somite. Based on this feature, Animals are
characterized as either

 Segmented-bodied Animals (i.e. Animals with segmented body)

 Non-segmented-bodied Animals (i.e. Animals with non-segmented body).
 Criteria of Classifying Kingdom Animalia
1. Body Cavity (Coelom): Body Cavity (Coelom) is a
fluid-filled cavity that forms the main body cavity
of most animals, formed due to the splitting of the
mesoderm. It provides space for visceral organs and
permits greater size complexity. Based on this
feature, animals are characterized as either
 Coelomates; describe animals with cavities between
the body wall and the digestive tract (coelom). In
other words, it describes Animals with true internal
Body cavity

Acoelomates; describes any animal that lacks a

coelom (internal Body cavity surrounding the gut)

Pseudo-coelomates; describes any invertebrate with

a false-body cavity i.e. their internal Body cavity is
incompletely lined by mesodermal tissue
 Criteria of Classifying Kingdom Animalia
 The classification for Animal Kingdom is based on several important features some of which include;

1. Body Plan/Organization: Based on this feature, Animals are categorized into two;
2. Diploblastic Animals; describe an invertebrate Animal with adult tissues derived from two layers of embryonic
germ tissue (endoderm & ectoderm)
3. Triploblastic Animals; describe the development of a multicellular animal body from three basic embryonic cell
layers (endoderm, ectoderm & mesoderm).
 Classification OF Kingdom Animalia
Skeleton: Skeleton serves for protection and support, and locomotion in large animals and fast-moving smaller
ones. Based on this feature, Animals are categorized into- Animals with external skeleton (Exoskeleton)

Animals with internal skeleton (Endoskeleton).

1. Appendages: These are structures that protrude from the body of an Animal used in locomotion and feeding;
among are Tentacles which encircle the mouths of Coelenterates, fleshly Parapodia of Annelids, muscular
foot of Molluscs, legs of Arthropods, and fins, legs and wings of Vertebrates.
 Classification OF Kingdom Animalia
ANIMALS ARE GENERALLY CLASSIFIED INTO TWO (2):
1) Invertebrata (Invertebrates): animals with no backbone
2) Vertebrata (Vertebrates): animals with backbone
•The division and subdivision of animals are based on several important features/ criteria (including body symmetry,
body cavity etc.) as explained previously.
INVERTEBRATA (INVERTEBRATES)
Comprises of
1-Phylum Porifera 2-Phylum Coelentrata
3-Phylum Platyhelminthes 4-Phylum Nemertea
5-Phylum Nematoda 6-Phylum Rotifera
7-Phylum Annelida 8-Phylum Echinodermata
9-Phylum Mollusca 10-Phylum Arthropoda