Taxonomie

Taxonomy is the science of naming, describing, and classifying organisms. The term combines Greek taxis, meaning order, and nomos, meaning law. In biology, it provides a hierarchical framework—domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, species—used to organize biodiversity and to communicate about living beings. Taxonomy aims to reflect evolutionary relationships while providing stable and usable names.

Historically, taxonomy began with the Greek philosopher Aristotle’s attempt to categorize living beings. In the 18th century, Carl Linnaeus introduced binomial nomenclature and a nested ranking system, laying the basis for modern taxonomy. The theory of evolution and advances in comparative anatomy, followed by molecular phylogenetics, have driven revisions that emphasize evolutionary relationships rather than mere similarity.

Nomenclature is governed by international codes that specify how organisms are named and described. The International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN) covers animals, while the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants (ICN) covers plants, algae, and fungi. Names are usually latinized and tied to type specimens or reference descriptions to ensure stability.

Modern taxonomy relies on diverse data, including morphology, genetics, and computational phylogenetics. DNA sequencing and large datasets enable DNA-based classifications and cladistic analyses that aim for monophyletic groups. Taxonomic databases such as ITIS, GBIF, and NCBI taxonomy aggregate names, synonyms, and hierarchical relationships to support research and biodiversity informatics.

Beyond biology, taxonomy refers to structured classification in information science. Taxonomies organize knowledge through hierarchical terms, controlled vocabularies, and tagging systems, facilitating information retrieval, interoperability, and consistency across libraries, museums, and digital platforms.