Have you ever heard someone refer to humans as Homo sapiens? Or tried to describe the difference between two very similar creatures? Well, this is the job of taxonomists who use biological classifications to categorize and organize all forms of life on earth.

There are several levels of groups in the classification system, each of which is responsible for providing more information about certain organisms. The higher the level, the larger, and the broader the groups will be. Each group is then broken down into smaller groups that help identify certain characteristics of a species.

There are seven major levels of classification that scientists use to arrange organisms: Domain, Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species. The domain is the largest and the most general category of classification, while the species is the smallest and most specific. Most scientists rely on the 3-Domain System to begin the categorization of a species. These Domains are Bacteria -which live in practically every environment and play large roles in many ecosystems-Eukarya-which all have a nucleus in their cells-and archaea-which are single-celled organisms that live in very extreme environments, such as highly acidic soils. After the Domain is the Kingdom. There are currently five Kingdoms-Monera, Protist, Fungi, Plant, and Animal- which are based on the types and number of cells an organism has and the manner in which they consume food. The next bracket of classification is Phylum, which attempts to find some physical resemblances between different organisms within a Kingdom, which can suggest a common ancestry among different species. Classes then break Phylum categories down into even smaller groups that explain even more distinct characteristics of a species. Mammals, for example, are a class which contains all animals that have fur and are nourished by their mother’s milk when they are young. Organisms of each Class are further broken down in an Order and then into a Family, which tells more about the attributes of individual life forms. The last two brackets of classification are the Genus and Species, which are typically used to scientifically name an organism. Black Bears, for example, are of the Genus Ursus and of the species americanus. Because this method of naming an animal includes using two names of each organism, it is often referred to as binomial nomenclature.

The biological classification for humans is:
Domain: Eukarya
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Primates
Family: Hominidae
Genus: Homo
Species: Homo sapiens

The classification of organisms is important for identifying living things as well as helping understand the diversity of all living things. This system can be used to compare or contrast different plants, animals, and all other life forms. It has also been useful for scientists to make educated guesses about a particular species. If a particular creature cannot be examined or experimented on for some reason, scientists can use an organism in the same family or class to help them better understand the entity in question.

Tip: most people find it very helpful to use a saying to help remember the order of the categories in the classification system. Some examples are:
Dear King Phillip Came Over For Good Soup
Do Kids Play Chess On Fine Green Silk
Do Kindly Place Cover On Fresh Green Salads