History of Classification

How do we classify?

Aristotle

Who was Aristotle? Aristotle was a great Philosopher and

scientist from the 300s B.C. He was the FIRST person to classify

organisms.

Aristotle…cont.

So how did he do it? Aristotle based his classification on how

animals moved and where they lived.

Aristotle Classification   Animals that Walk         Animals that Fly       Animals That Swim    

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

       

     

     

Although this was a nice try… this is NOT how organisms are related to each other.

I walk on land, but that does not mean I am closely related to a lizard.

I am more closely related to a dolphin than a lizard. Dolphins and Humans are mammals with backbones.

So… we came up with a new thing in the 16th century.

             Helpful Animals             

             Harmful Animals            

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

    

   

   

Does this make sense?

NO! This is silly. It depends on how you look at it.

Some people like owls. Some people don’t. If they live in trees you

want to cut down, then you don’t like them.

17th Century

Animal that LiveOn Land

Animals that LiveIn Water

Animals that LiveUnderground

  Animals that   Live

In Trees  

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

        

       

       

Does this make sense?

NO!

GRRR!!! What should we do?

18th Century: Thank you Linnaeus!

Carolus Linnaues came up with the MODERN classification system we use today based on shared characteristics.

Characteristics include things like: Are you multicellular, do you lay eggs, do you

have fur, do you have a backbone, are you an autotroph? Things like that!

One part of Linnaeus’ System:

 Invertebrates: Without a Backbones       Vertebrates: Has a Backbone