DIVERSITY OF ORGANISMS

The Varity of Life

There are about 1.5 million species of organisms currently described so far. It is
estimated that the number of undescribed species range from 10 to 100 million. More than 1
million of these are animals, and about one-fifth is plants. The remaining are fungi, algae,
protozoans, slime mould, oomycetes, and various prokaryotes. These different kinds of
organisms contribute to the diversity of life on Earth.

Systematics
Biologists use systematics as an analytical approach to understanding the diversity
and relationships of organisms, present – day and extinct. Currently, systematic use
morphological, biochemical and molecular comparisons to infer relationships.

Taxonomy is the orders division of organisms into categories based on a set of

characteristics used to assess similarities and differences.

CAROLUS LINNAES
A Swedish Botanist developed a Classification System.

Binomial nomenclature is the systematic naming of organisms. It is based on the

binomial system introduced by the Swedish botanist Carolus Linnaeus in the eighteenth
century. Each organism is given a scientific name which is always in Latin and consists of two
parts: a generic name which begins with a capital letter, followed by a specific name which
begins with a small letter. Both names are either written underlined or printed in italics.

Hierarchy of Classification
In classification, the organisms that closely resemble one another are placed in a
group. These groups are further placed in large groups on the basis of close similarities. The
larger groups are again placed in still larger grouping levels or ranks in classification are
known as categories. Each category has its specific name.
 Species is the lowest category regarded as basic unit classification. It is a group of
similar individuals which resembles with each other in morphology, breed among
themselves but not with others and probably descended from a common ancestor.

 Genus is a group of closely resembling species having a common ancestry. The

species in a genus show similarities in broad features of their organization but differ in
minor details.

 Family represents a larger group of closely related genera. It is composed of one or

more genera.

 Order is a group of closely related families.

 Class is a group of related orders.

 Phylum (in case of animals) or Division (in case of plants) is a group of related classes.

 Kingdom is the highest category in biological classification. It is group of phyla (in case
of animals) or divisions (in case of plants).