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| Introduction |
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| The modern classification is simply an extension of the system of classification proposed by Carolus Linnaeus. Linnaeus introduced four categories namely class, order, genus and species in each of the two kingdoms proposed by him - the plant kingdom and the animal kingdom. The present system of classification involves a series of taxonomic ranks or taxa. In addition to the four categories introduced by Linnaeus, two more, phylum which comes above a class and family which comes above a genus have been introduced. This is now called as Linnaean hierarchy. |
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| Carolus Linnaeus (1707-1778) was a Swedish biologist. He is considered as a pioneer in the field of taxonomy because of two significant contributions. |
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| fig. 7.1 - Carolus Linnaeus |
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| He made an attempt to classify living organisms to two kingdoms-the plant kingdom and the animal kingdom. He divided each of these kingdoms into smaller groups called classes. Each class was split into orders. Each order was divided into genera and each genus into many species. Each of these groups was formed on the basis of certain specific morphological features. He described about 5000 species of plants in his famous book Genera Plantarum. Similarly he listed about 4,300 species of animals. He published his scheme of natural classification in the book Systema Naturae. His system of classification provided a firm basis for modern taxonomy. His system of classification is used even today with some additions and modifications. |
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| Another significant contribution from Linnaeus is the system of binomial nomenclature wherein Linnaeus initiated the idea of giving a scientific name to every plant and animal species. He proposed the idea of giving a scientific name consisting of two words - the first word describing the name of the genus and the second word describing the name of the species. He suggested that such a system would avoid confusion created by the use of vernacular names for a given plant or animal. This system has found an universal acceptance today. |
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