Taxonomy Scientific Taxonomy and Biodiversity

TAXONOMY SCIENTIFIC TAXONOMY and BIODIVERSITY In scientific terms, taxonomy refers to the science, laws or principles of animal and plant classification, especially in the fields of biology, zoology and botany and can be defined as "a process of classifying living organisms in specific established categories" (Smith, 2005, p. 56). According to Edward Thompson, taxonomic classification "begins with the broadest and most inclusive category and ends with the narrowest category" (2004, p.

63), much like an upside-down pyramid with a broad base at the top and an apex at the bottom, being kingdom to species or sometimes subspecies. In order of categorization, the categories are kingdom, phylum, subphylum, class, order, family, genus, species and finally subspecies; there are also sub-phylums, sub-classes, sub-orders and sub-families, due to various differences in shape, size and anatomy.

In the kingdom of Animalia which includes all animals outside of plants, I have chosen the horse and the tiger (Mammalia), the beetle and the ant (Insecta), the pelican and the eagle (Aves) and the starfish and the sea urchin (echinoderms).

As to characteristics, the horse and the tiger are warm-blooded, have hair, a four-chambered heart, are quadrupeds and bear their young alive; the beetle and the ant are multi-legged, have wings, an exoskeleton, antennae, compound eyes and are generally land-dwelling; the pelican and the eagle are warm-blooded, have wings and feathers, a beak, and are bipedal, while the starfish and sea urchin live in the ocean, have endoskeletons, are exothermic and breath much like fishes by taking oxygen from the water and expelling carbon dioxide.

There are three basic characteristics shared by all mammals -- they are warm-blooded endothermic), meaning that their body temperatures are controlled internally, have hair on their bodies and bear their young alive, rather than through egg-laying.

The differences between the horse and the tiger are numerous, such as the horse has hooves (i.e., odd-numbered toes) rather than claws like the tiger; the horse is a herbivore (plant-eating) while the tiger is a carnivore (meat-eating), and the teeth of a horse are designed for grinding plants while the teeth of the tiger are designed to rip and tear away flesh.

As to orders, the horse belongs to the order of Perissodactyla which pertains to "certain hoofed mammals with an odd number of toes," while the tiger belongs to the order of Felidae or feline cats like the common housecat, the lion and the panther, all of which are "strictly carnivorous or meat-eaters" (Thompson, 2004, p. 67). Two additional mammals that belong to these two orders are the zebra and the donkey (Perissodactyla) and the jaguar and the bobcat (Felidae).

A other insects are the boll weevil and the ladybug; in the order of Hymenoptera, two other insects are bees and wasps. As to birds, they all share four specific characteristics, being that they have feathered wings (although some birds are flightless like the penguin), beaks, stereoscopic vision and are endothermic or warm-blooded.

The differences between the pelican and the eagle are that pelicans generally live in a marine, saltwater environment and eat mostly fish, while the eagle lives predominantly in forested or mountainous areas and eats not only fish but also various land animals such as rabbits and other small mammals. As to order, the pelican belongs to Pelecanidae, due to exhibiting a pouch under their beaks, while the eagle belongs to Accipitriformes, due to being a bird of prey with a powerful beak and talons designed for tearing away flesh.

Two other species related to the pelican include cormorants and frigatebirds; to the eagle, buzzards and hawks. As to echinoderms (the starfish and the sea urchin), the three shared characteristics include living in a marine/salt water environment, having endoskeletons and possessing "projections known as tubed feet which helps with.