Question

What is the basis of classification?

Answer 1

Hint: These are the characteristics that helps us in understanding the evolutionary history of organisms easily and it also provides knowledge about the origin and genetic relationship among organisms. On the basis of these characteristics all the living organisms are classified into various groups.

Complete answer:
All the living organisms are divided into various groups on the basis of very basic characteristics that are shared by them. Then organisms of each group are further divided into smaller groups on the basis of more detailed similarities among the organisms of the same group. This kind of specialized system of dividing the living organism into various groups is known as classification.
-Some features that are used as the basis for classification are the arrangement of cells, body symmetry, nature of coelom, patterns of the digestive system, circulatory system, or reproductive systems.
-The system of classification helps scientists in studying certain groups of organisms.
-The living things are classified into seven different levels, these are kingdom, phylum, classes, order, families, genus, and species.
-Kingdoms: These are the most basic classification of living things. Based on the way of obtaining food, the types of cells, and the number of cells they are made up of the living things are grouped into certain kingdoms.
-Phylum: This is the next level of classification after the kingdom. In phylum physical similarities among organisms within a kingdom is considered. The physical similarities indicate that there is some common ancestry among the organisms in a particular phylum.
-Classes: The next level of classification after phylum is classes. As compared to phylum the organisms of the same class have much more similarities among them. For example, mammals feed their young ones with milk.
-Order: The organisms of the same class are further divided into orders. The organisms with the same characteristics belong to the same order.
-Families: The orders are further divided into families having organisms with more similarities than the level above.
-Genus: This is the next level after the family used to describe the generic name of the living organism. This represents the first part of the biological name of an organism.
-Species: This is the last level of classification of living things. The ability to breed with other organisms of the same species is the basic criterion of placing an organism in a particular species. This represents the second part of the biological name of an organism.

Note:
-The Greek philosopher Aristotle is called the father of biological classification. His classification was based on the habitat of the animals.
-The foundation of modern taxonomy is based on the work done by Carolus Linnaeus and Charles Darwin.
-Carolus Linnaeus developed the two-part binomial taxonomy system of categorizing organisms according to genus and species.
-The living things are classified into seven different levels, these are kingdom, phylum, classes, order, families, genus, and species. As we move from kingdom to species the similarities among the living organisms increases.