CLASSIFICATION OF ORGANISMS
Introduction The earth contains millions of different organisms, ranging from tiny bacteria to large animals such as elephants and whales. These organisms differ in their structure, size, method of nutrition, reproduction, habitat and other characteristics. Because of the enormous number of organisms, scientists need a systematic way of identifying, studying and naming them. Classification is the scientific process of grouping organisms according to their similarities, differences and evolutionary relationships. The branch of biology concerned with the identification, naming and classification of organisms is known as taxonomy . Meaning of Classification Biological classification is the arrangement of living organisms into groups and subgroups based on their similarities, differences and relationships. Organisms that have many characteristics in common are placed in the same group, while organisms with significant differences are placed in different groups. For example...