"In biology, taxonomy is the scientific study of naming, defining (circumscribing) and classifying groups of biological organisms based on shared characteristics."
Taxonomy is the science of classifying and naming living organisms. It helps us understand the relationships between different species and how they are related to one another.
Binomial nomenclature: The system of assigning two-part names to each organism, consisting of the genus and species names.
Taxonomic hierarchy: The classification of organisms into groups based on shared characteristics.
Phylogenetics: The study of the evolutionary relationships among organisms.
Cladistics: A method of classification based on evolutionary relationships, using shared derived characteristics.
Systematics: The study of the diversity of life, including the relationships among organisms and their evolutionary history.
Taxonomic keys: Tools used to identify organisms based on a series of questions with binary answers.
Nomenclature: The system of naming organisms, including the rules for assigning scientific names and the principles for naming new taxa.
Morphology: The study of the form and structure of organisms, used to identify and classify them.
Anatomy: The study of the internal structure of organisms, used to identify and classify them.
Physiology: The study of the function of organisms, used to identify and classify them.
Ecology: The study of the interactions between organisms and their environment, which can inform taxonomic classification.
Biogeography: The study of the distribution of organisms and the historical factors that have shaped their distribution, which can inform taxonomic classification.
Genetics: The study of the genetic information and inheritance patterns of organisms, which can inform taxonomic classification.
Evolution: The study of the processes by which organisms change over time, which informs taxonomic classification.
"Organisms are grouped into taxa (singular: taxon) and these groups are given a taxonomic rank."
"Groups of a given rank can be aggregated to form a more inclusive group of higher rank, thus creating a taxonomic hierarchy."
"The principal ranks in modern use are domain, kingdom, phylum (division is sometimes used in botany in place of phylum), class, order, family, genus, and species."
"The Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus is regarded as the founder of the current system of taxonomy."
"He developed a ranked system known as Linnaean taxonomy for categorizing organisms."
"Carl Linnaeus [...] developed [...] binomial nomenclature for naming organisms."
"With advances in the theory, data and analytical technology of biological systematics, the Linnaean system has transformed into a system of modern biological classification."
"[It is] intended to reflect the evolutionary relationships among organisms, both living and extinct."
"The term 'taxonomy' comes from Ancient Greek τάξις (taxis) 'arrangement'..."
"Taxonomy [...] is the scientific study of naming, defining (circumscribing) and classifying groups of biological organisms based on shared characteristics."
"Organisms are grouped into taxa and these groups are given a taxonomic rank."
"Groups of a given rank can be aggregated to form a more inclusive group of higher rank."
"The Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus is regarded as the founder of the current system of taxonomy."
"[Linnaeus] developed [...] binomial nomenclature for naming organisms."
"[It] intended to reflect the evolutionary relationships among organisms, both living and extinct."
"Carl Linnaeus [...] developed a ranked system known as Linnaean taxonomy for categorizing organisms."
"The principal ranks in modern use are domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, and species."
"Taxonomy [...] is the scientific study of naming, defining, and classifying groups of biological organisms based on shared characteristics."
"With advances in the theory, data and analytical technology of biological systematics, the Linnaean system has transformed into a system of modern biological classification."