Habitats and Interactions: Classification system

In biology, classification is the process of arranging organisms, both living and extinct, into groups based on similar characteristics. The science of naming and classifying organisms is called taxonomy. The term is derived from the Greek taxis (“arrangement”) and nomos (“law”).

The Swedish naturalist and physician Linnaeus brought into general use the scientific system of classifying plants and animals that is now universally used. This is the binomial (two-name) system, in which each living thing is assigned a name consisting of two Latin words. The first word is the name of the genus and the second the species.