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💡 Life’s address
Classification works like an address — from a broad kingdom down to a single species, each step narrows to organisms sharing more and more features.
What is the hierarchy of classification?
- Classification follows a step-by-step order from broad groups to specific ones.
- The levels are Kingdom → Phylum → Class → Order → Family → Genus → Species .
- At each lower level, organisms share more common features , and every lower group is part of the group above it (Fig. 12.17).
NCERT Question 12 — In the classification hierarchy, which
In the classification hierarchy, which group — class or genus — has fewer members but more features in common? Explain your answer.
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| Level | Tiger | Pea |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Animalia | Plantae |
| Phylum | Chordata | Magnoliophyta |
| Class | Mammalia | Magnoliopsida |
| Order | Carnivora | Fabales |
| Family | Felidae | Fabaceae |
| Genus | Panthera | Pisum |
| Species | P. tigris | P. sativum |
Important Definitions
- Hierarchy of classification — the step-by-step order Kingdom → Phylum → Class → Order → Family → Genus → Species, in which every lower group is a part of the group above it.
- Genus — a group of closely related species that share common features, e.g. Panthera .
- Species — a group of similar individuals capable of interbreeding and producing offsprings.
