| Level(s) | Definition | Example (humans) |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom (kingdoms) | Highest rank; in one current system, there are six recognized kingdoms--Animalia, Plantae, Fungi, Protista, Archaea, and Bacteria--but these are subject to change over time | Animalia |
| Phylum (phyla) - zoology/Division (divisions) - botany | Represents a group of organisms with a certain degree of morphological or developmental similarity | Chordata |
| Class (classes) | Sub-division of phylum | Mammalia |
| Order (orders) | Sub-division of class | Primates |
| Family (families) | Sub-division of order | Hominidae |
| Genus (genera) | Sub-division of family | Homo |
| Species (species) | Basic category of classification; sub-division of genus; used with the genus to create binomial name | Homo sapiens (or H. sapiens) |