| Introduction to Classification |
| As way of an example
lets consider the charming little African catfish Microsynodontis
batesii, by following the red item in
each of the alphabetically sorted columns below you can see how this one
species fits into the classification structure of every living organism known
to science. (i.e. Animals, Vertebrae, Fish, True Bony Fish, Siluformes
(Catfish), Mockokidae, Microsynodontis, batesii). Please note the
the examples of each category given (in brackets) are not exhuastive but
mereley examples of the category. Entries in the Family column that do not have
examples are very rarely (if ever) imported and thus do not have widespread
common names. |
| Living Organisms |
Phylum |
Class |
Sub-Class |
Order |
Family |
Genus |
Species |
| Animals |
Annelids (Earthworms, Leech ,
Ragworms) |
Amphibians (Frogs, Toads, Newts) |
Bony Fish(Sturgeons, Garpikes) |
Anguilliformes (True Eels) |
Akysidae |
Acanthocleithron |
batesii |
| Bacteria |
Arthropods (Crustacea, Insects,
Arachnids, Myriapods) |
Birds (Parrot, Stork, Albatross) |
Cartilaginous Fish (Sharks, Rays) |
Atheriniformes(Killifish, Livebearing
Toothcarps, Rainbowfish) |
Amblycipitidae (Asian Banjo
Catfish) |
Atopochilus |
lamerti |
| Fungi |
Coelenterates (Sea anenome,
Jellyfish, Coral) |
Fish (Shark, Trout, Tuna) |
Round Mouthed Fish (Lamprey, Hagfish)
|
Mormyriformes (Elephant Noses, Baby
Whales) |
Amphiliidae (Loach Catfish) |
Brachysynodontis |
polli |
| Plants |
Flatworms (Planarians, Liver Fluke,
Tapeworm) |
Mammals (Human, Whale, Rat) |
True Bony
Fish (Carp, Cichlids, Grouper) |
Salmoniformes(Salmon, Trout) |
Ariidae (Sea Catfish) |
Chiloglanis |
|
| Single-celled Organisms |
Molluscs (Mussel, Snail,
Octopus) |
Reptiles (Snake, Gecko, Iguana) |
|
Gonorhynchiformes |
Aspredinidae(Banjo Catfish) |
Euchilichthys |
|
|
Vertebrates (Animals with backbones) |
|
|
Cypriniformes(Characins, Cyprinids,
Knife Fish) |
Astroblepidae (South American
Hillstream Catfishes) |
Hemisynodontis |
|
|
|
|
|
Siluriformes(Catfish) |
Auchenipteridae (Driftwood
Catfish) |
Microsynodontis |
|
|
|
|
|
Osteoglossiformes (Arowana, Freshwater
Butterfly Fish) |
Austroglanididae (Rock Catfishes) |
Mochkus |
|
|
|
|
|
Gasterosteiformes (Sticklebacks)
|
Bagridae (Giraffe Catfish, Black Lancer
Catfish) |
Synodontis |
|
|
|
|
|
Syngnathiformes (Pipefish) |
Callichthyidae Flag Tailed Catfish,
Bronze Cory) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Channiformes (Snakeheads) |
Cetopsidae(Whale Catfish) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Synbranchiformes (Synbrachid
Eels) |
Chacidae (Frog Mouth Catfish) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Scorpaeniformes (Sculpins) |
Clariidae (Walking Catfish) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Perciformes (Cichlids, Gobies,
Gouramis) |
Claroteidae (Giraffe Catfish) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mastacembeliformes (Spiny Eels) |
Cranoglanididae (Chinese Catfish) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Pleuronectiformes (Plaice, Sole) |
Diplomystidae(Dyplomystes |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tetraodontiformes (Pufferfish,
Triggerfish, Boxfish) |
Doradidae (Talking / Raphael
Catfish) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Erethistidae(Moth Catfishes) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Heteropneustidae (Liver / Fossil /
Stinging Catfish) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ictaluridae (Bullheads, Channel
Catfish) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Loricariidae (Suckermouth Catfish) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Malapteruridae (Electric Catfish) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mochokidae (Upside Down Catfish, Polka Dot
Catfish) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Pangasiidae(Iridescent Shark) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Pimelodidae (Tiger Shovelnose Catfish,
Pimpictus) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Plotosidae (Eel-Tailed Catfish) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Schilbeidae (Butter Catfish, False
Glass Catfish) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Siluridae (Glass Catfish, Helicopter
Catfish) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Scoloplacidae |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sisoridae |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Trichomycteridae (Parasite Catfish) |
|
|
