Zoology · Ch 1 — The Living World
Taxonomic Hierarchy
1.5
Taxonomic Hierarchy
The taxonomic hierarchy is the ranked, nested system used to arrange every taxon relative to every other taxon. In biological classification it comprises seven major, obligate categories — kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus and species — running from the broadest, most inclusive rank (kingdom) down to the narrowest, most specific rank (species). Beyond these seven, taxonomists insert intermediate categories whenever finer distinctions are needed: subkingdom, grade, division, subdivision, subphylum, superclass, subclass, superorder, suborder, superfamily, subfamily and subspecies. …
Table 1.2Systematics of Human Being — a worked example of the hierarchy
| Rank | Name | Defining feature (as classified for humans) |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Animalia | All multicellular animals |
| Phylum | Chordata | Animals with a notochord or vertebral column (backbone) |
| Class | Mammalia | Body covered with hair/fur; mammary glands present |
| Order | Primata | Mammals with forward-looking eyes and grasping fingers |
| Family | Hominidae | Primates with relatively flat faces and binocular vision |