Alessandro Minelli University of Padova Biological classifications Classification
Alessandro Minelli University of Padova Biological classifications
Classification
Biological classifications Species, the units of classification Groups within groups – characters: problems of homology – taxa: arbitrary vs. natural units – ranks, abolute or relative? Taxon names
Biological classifications Species, the units of classification Groups within groups – characters: problems of homology – taxa: arbitrary vs. natural units – ranks, abolute or relative? Taxon names
Biological classifications Species, the units of classification Groups within groups – characters: problems of homology – taxa: arbitrary vs. natural units – ranks, abolute or relative? Taxon names
The taxonomic hierarchy phylum class order family genus species subspecies
Biological classifications Species, the units of classification Groups within groups – characters: problems of homology – taxa: arbitrary vs. natural units – ranks, abolute or relative? Taxon names
Characters: how many? which ones? P. Belon 1555
Homologue the same organ underevery variety of form and function Owen, 1843
Analogy
Charles Darwin The origin of species (1859)
Ernst Haeckel
Willi Hennig Phylogenetic systematics (1966)
Synapomorphy = shared derived character state fin limb
‘cladistic’ methods of Renaissance scholars Angelo Poliziano 1454 -1494
monophyletic group
paraphyletic group
polyphyletic group
Biological classifications Species, the units of classification Groups within groups – characters: problems of homology – taxa: arbitrary vs. natural units – ranks, abolute or relative? Taxon names
Invertebrates Vertebrates
Protostomes Deuterostomes
Birds Reptiles
Testudinates Lepidosaurs Archosaurs
Biological classifications Species, the units of classification Groups within groups – characters: problems of homology – taxa: arbitrary vs. natural units – ranks, abolute or relative? Taxon names
Equus absolute ranks ? genus Conus
Mammals Gastropods class
Biological classifications Species, the units of classification Groups within groups – characters: problems of homology – taxa: arbitrary vs. natural units – ranks, abolute or relative? Taxon names
Biological classifications (the dark side)
Bad taxonomy can kill
Bad taxonomy can kill species
Bad taxonomy can kill thought
how many species are there?
Biological classifications
- Slides: 45