Classification of Living Organisms – Introduction

What is Classification in Biology?

Classification is defined as the ordering, grouping, or placing of living organisms into distinct groups or taxa using some specific characteristics.

The study of the principles of classifying groups of living organisms into hierarchies is known as taxonomy or systematics. 

There is a wide range of living organisms that have been discovered and described. However, many are yet to be discovered and described.

The first attempt to classify living organisms was by the Greek philosopher Aristotle (384-322 BC).

The present method of classifying and naming living organisms is based on the work of Swedish naturalist Carolus Linnaeus (1707-1778).