Chapter 1: The Tree of Life

Every organism has its designated spot on the Tree of Life, and in this installment of our series on Earth’s history, we delve into the concept of taxonomy.

Take the leopard, known scientifically as Panthera pardus. This majestic creature, along with others like dragonflies and tulips, shares a common ancestry. Understanding where each species fits within this framework is the essence of taxonomy.

The taxonomic classification system is intricate, comprising nine primary levels, along with various sub-levels. Let’s examine the full classification using the leopard as our focal point:

Level 1: Life

Leopards, like all living beings, are classified as alive.

Level 2: Domain

Organisms are categorized into three domains: bacteria, archaea, and eukaryotes. Leopards belong to the eukaryotic domain.

Level 3: Kingdom

The eukaryotic domain is divided into five kingdoms. Leopards fall under the animal kingdom, distinct from the single-celled organisms, plants, and fungi.

Level 4: Phylum

Within the animal kingdom, different body structures create various phyla. Leopards are classified as chordates, indicating they possess a skeletal structure.

Level 4a: Subphylum

Chordates are further divided into vertebrates (those with backbones) and invertebrates. Leopards are vertebrates.

Level 4b: Infraphylum

Vertebrates can be categorized into jawed and jawless creatures. Leopards are jawed vertebrates.

Level 5+: Superclass

Due to their four limbs, leopards are classified as tetrapods.

Level 5: Class

Tetrapods encompass amphibians, reptiles, and mammals. As mammals, leopards fit squarely in this category.

Level 6: Order

Among mammals, the largest orders include rodents, bats, and carnivores. Leopards, being carnivorous, belong to the latter.

Level 6a: Suborder

Carnivores can be further divided into two groups: seals and other carnivores (Fissipedia). Leopards are part of the latter.

Level 7+: Superfamily

Within Fissipedia, leopards are classified under the cat-like carnivores.

Level 7: Family

Among cat-like carnivores, leopards are classified in the family of true cats.

Level 7a: Subfamily

The cat family is divided into two subfamilies, with leopards belonging to Pantherinae, which includes the larger cats.

Level 8: Genus

Within Pantherinae, leopards fall under the genus Panthera.

Level 9: Species

There are five recognized species within the Panthera genus: lion, tiger, snow leopard, jaguar, and leopard.

All organisms can be systematically classified using these levels, though they are often recognized by their genus and species names. Globally, leopards are identified by their binomial nomenclature, Panthera pardus.

In binomial nomenclature, the genus name is capitalized while the species name is in lowercase, such as Panthera pardus or Homo sapiens. Additionally, both names are italicized.

Notably, this classification system also allows for a touch of humor among taxonomists, leading to amusing species names like Han solo, Ba humbug, and Spongiformia squarepantsii. Personally, I take pride in having spotted a Turdus maximus in its natural habitat.

This article marks Part 28 of a 50-part series chronicling Earth’s extensive history, with each entry representing a 100-million-year span.

For further exploration, check out Part 27: EUKARYOTES or Part 29: NUCLEAR. If you’re keen on discovering all the articles, please follow my work.