Nomenclature, as the term indicates, is a method of classifying living organisms based on taxonomic conventions. The word comes from the Greek nomen (language) and ratio (class), both of which mean “of a class”. Nomenclature thus refers to a system of classifications.
Biological classification is the systematic organization of living organisms on the basis of the similarities and Differences in their relationships (morphological, genetic, ecological and other aspects) on the basis of the common ancestry (shared ancestors) or independent existence. It includes all living things of a class and sub-class. There are several ways in which nomenclature is used. In biology, the nomenclature system is generally referred to as a taxonomy, a classification system that uses different, often complex, classifications for describing the same specimen.
In contrast, the nomenclature of taxonomy, the nomenclature of biological classification, generally refers to the study of living things as wholesome units of life. A taxonomy is most often associated with the field of taxonomies, which studies classification systems and biodiversity. The field of taxonomy has received recent attention from applications as diverse as urban planning and environmental management. It also includes applications in research methodology, such as genetics, molecular biology and population genetics.
In comparison to nomenclature, the simplest classification system in biology is that based on morphological characters. The basis for classification lies in the similarities and differences between living organisms. Taxonomic nomenclature therefore focuses on characters that are visible to the eye of the observer. For instance, the classification of plants on the basis of the number and types of leaf nodes, stalks and leaves constitutes a taxonomic nomenclature.
Within a taxonomic classification system, there is a hierarchy from the lowest level, or Kingdom, to the highest level, or Phylum, and finally to the categories that fall between these two levels, known as classifications. A phylum is a broad taxonomic classification hierarchy that includes all living organisms that can live in an ecosystem. A Kingdom is a much broader division of taxonomic categories than a phylum. Classifications within a kingdom range over one hundred distinct taxonomic classifications. On the other hand, within a phylum, there are usually between three hundred and five hundred different taxonomic classifications.
The systematic nature of taxonomy is what gives it its depth and breadth. Taxonomists first consider how the forms of living things differ from one another in nature before they decide how to class them. This process of establishing similarities and Differences is called cladogenesis. Differences in appearance between living things, however, are not considered here. This difference in form comes later in the process of taxonomy.
After determining how living organisms and their relationships fit into a taxonomic classification system, the cladogenesis process is carried out. The cladogram, or cladotype, is a graphical representation of the taxonomic relationships among animals and the unicellular plants. The cladogram essentially draws a tree from the highest level of taxonomy to the lowest level of unicellular Plantae. The placement of the various nodes is determined by similarities and differences in form among living things. The cladogram depicts a tree with branches and foliage connecting each other, a pattern known as a cladogram. It is a highly useful tool for classification and study of living organisms.
Among the living organisms that are clearly separated by the cladogram (tree) are the animalia and the unicellular algae. Although most of the unicellular algae belong to a class of its own, there are a few well known, cell wall capable algae such as ulvophyceae and some eukaryotic algae. The cladogram separates the unicellular plants into two main categories, the prokaryotes and the eukaryotes. The latter group also includes the methanoplasts, which are present in all animals, including humans.