IGCSE Biology Notes - The Taxonomic Hierarchy - Human Hierarchy

Once you named an organism you have to assign an appropriate position in a systematic frame work of classification. This frame work is called taxonomic hierarchy by which the taxonomic groups are arranged in a definite order from higher to lower categories. Each category in the hierarchy is considered as a taxonomic unit and is known as taxon.

• The categories used in the classification of animals are 

                               Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus , Species. 

• BE4U TIPS :     King      Philip     Came  Over    For      Good    Spinach

•  These categories are ranked on above the other, called Hierarchy.

• Kingdom is the highest and species is the lowest category in this hierarchy.

Taxonomic Hierarchy of Animals

Example : Human (Scientific name: Homo sapiens)

Taxonomic position of Human                                                         

Kingdom - Animalia

Phylum- Chordata

Class- Mammalia

Order - Primates

Family- Hominidae

Genus- Homo

Species- sapiens 

Taxonomic Hierarchy in Plants

•  In the case of plants instead of phylum, division is used.