How Do You Classify Plants & Animals?
As humans, we are members of the animal kingdom. As a species that questions scientifically, many people wonder how closely related we are to other life on our planet. It has been estimated that there are 14 million living species on earth, though only 1.8 million have been given scientific names. By using the Linnaean classification system, we are able to classify plants and animals and in turn learn more about our own biological evolution. Watch for homologies. When classifying plants and animals, scientists look for homologies, or common physical traits such as your arm and a bird’s wing, that are inherited from a common ancestor. If the organisms share multiple homologies, they are likely related. Look for analogies. Unlike homologies, which evolve from a common ancestor, many organisms share traits for other reasons. For example, though birds and butterflies both have wings, the similarity is only superficial because their wings are very different beneath the surface. Determine th
