Taxa

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Taxa

Taxa (pronounced: /ˈtæksə/), is a term used in biology to refer to a group of one or more populations of an organism or organisms seen by taxonomists to form a unit. The etymology of the word "taxa" is derived from the Greek word "taxis" meaning arrangement or division.

Definition

In biological taxonomy, taxa are the means by which biologists classify and categorize species of organisms. They are hierarchical and can be divided into various levels, including domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, and species. Each level of this hierarchy is a taxon (plural: taxa).

Levels of Taxa

  • Domain: This is the highest rank of organisms, above kingdom. There are three domains: Archaea, Bacteria, and Eukarya.
  • Kingdom: This is the second highest rank. Examples include Animalia, Plantae, Fungi, and Protista.
  • Phylum: This is the rank below kingdom. Examples include Chordata (animals with backbones) and Arthropoda (insects, spiders, and crustaceans).
  • Class: This is the rank below phylum. Examples include Mammalia (mammals) and Insecta (insects).
  • Order: This is the rank below class. Examples include Carnivora (carnivorous mammals) and Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths).
  • Family: This is the rank below order. Examples include Felidae (cats) and Rosaceae (roses).
  • Genus: This is the rank below family. Examples include Panthera (lions, tigers, leopards, etc.) and Rosa (roses).
  • Species: This is the most specific rank. Examples include Panthera leo (lion) and Rosa damascena (Damask rose).

Related Terms

  • Taxonomy: The science of defining and naming groups of biological organisms based on shared characteristics.
  • Binomial nomenclature: The system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts.
  • Cladistics: A method of classification of animals and plants according to the proportion of measurable characteristics that they have in common.

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