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) |