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How to Classify Animal Species in Biology

The Linnaean system of classification is used in the biological sciences to describe and categorize every living thing with a series of Latin names and categories. It is structured similarly to military and feudal power structures, with its groups contained within groups. Closely-related species are slotted into the same genus, similar genera form a family, and so on up to one of six kingdoms into which every living thing can be sorted: Animalia, Plantae, Fungi, Protista, Monera or Archaea. All animal species are members of the kingdom Animalia.

Instructions

- 1
  Determine the animal's phylum, out of the approximately 40 phyla that comprise Kingdom Animalia, by comparing the animal against the distinguishing characteristics of various phyla -- for example, the distinguishing characteristics of Phylum Mollusca include bilateral symmetry, a lack of body cavity, and an unsegmented body that is highly variable in form.
- 2
  Figure out which of the classes within that phylum the organism fits into -- like the phyla, each class has a set of distinguishing characteristics. Compare the characteristics of the animal against the distinguishing characteristics of different classes; for example, Class Cephalopoda is distinguished by its members' tentacles -- which may range in number from eight to 90 -- and their specialized foot that enables them to move through the water by siphoning and expelling water.
- 3
  Decide the order within the class that the animal belongs to, by comparing the animal's characteristics to the distinguishing characteristics of the orders within its class -- for example, Order Octopoda is distinguished by its members' eight tentacles (the word "octopod" means "eight feet").
- 4
  Within that order, find out which family the animal belongs to by comparing its characteristics to those that define various families; for example, all members of Family Octopodidae have suckers running along their tentacles in single or double file, and have a beak shape that is unique to their family among the octopods.
- 5
  Determine which genus within that family the animal belongs to, by comparing it to the distinguishing characteristics of the genera within its family; for example, Genus Octopus is the largest genus within family Octopodidae and comprises all octopods that do not fall into small genera such as Hapalochlaena, the poisonous blue-ringed octopus.
- 6
  Determine the animal's species by comparing it to data on other known specimens. Once you've determined the species, use it to write the animal's Latin name -- Octopus vulgaris, or O. vulgaris, is also known as the common octopus.

Animals & Science