What is the Taxonomic Hierarchy?

What is taxonomic hierarchy? Before we go into technical details of this topic let's take an example from daily life.

 Here I have written some random things. If you see this list can you get a clear idea of what these things are related to?

Pencil, Spoon, mobile, TV, Pen, paper, Bowl, Radio, knife, computer

I guess it is difficult. Let’s arrange these things once again.

Pencil, Pen, paper | Stationery items
Spoon, Bowl, knife | Kitchen items
Mobile, TV, radio, computer | Electronics

Now it is very easy to identify the category of these things. A similar method is used in biology to arrange millions of living organisms into their related groups to identify and study them easily. That method is called the taxonomic hierarchy.

What is the Taxonomic Hierarchy?

In this method, organisms are organized or classified into groups called taxa or taxon (singular). These taxa form successive levels called taxonomic hierarchy. Here hierarchy means levels of an organism back to its ancestors or vice versa. It is like:

Taxa 1 
Taxa 1.1 
Taxa 1.11 
Taxa 1.111 

In biology all living things are divided into 5 Kingdom, making it the largest taxon. The organisms into the kingdom are further divided into five small taxa based on similarities.

1. Phylum: A phylum is a collection of associated classes.
2. Class: A class is a collection of associated orders.
3. Order: An order is a collection of associated families.
4. Family: A family is a collection of associated genera.
5. Genus: A genus is a collection of associated species.
6. Species: A species contains similar organisms.

To understand this concept, take an example of human.

Organisms in lower taxons are more similar than organisms in the higher taxon. 

Other examples to clear this topic is given below.

Taxa	Human	Pea	E. coli
Kingdom	Animalia	Plantae	bacteria
Phylum	Chordata	Magnoliophyta	Proteobacteria
Class	Mammalia	Magnoliopsida	Gammaproteobacteria
Order	Primates	Fabales	Enterobacterales
Family	Hominidae	Fabaceae	Enterobacteriaceae
Genus	Homo	Pisum	Escherichia
Species	H. sapiens	P. sativum	E. coli

Definition of species. 

A species is a group of organisms capable of interbreeding independently and naturally among them and produce fertile offspring. 

What are the characteristics of species? 

It is structurally, behaviorally, and ecologically distinct.

I hope now you know what is the taxonomic hierarchy. If you have more questions ask in the comment section below.