Definition:

• A system of classification based on evolutionary history and common ancestry, grouping organisms according to how closely they are related.

Comparison to Traditional Classification: 

• Traditional classification uses observable features, whereas phylogenetics uses genetic and molecular data. 
• Traditional classification looks at analogous structures - features of different species that are similar in function but not necessarily in structure and which do not derive from a common ancestor.
• Phylogenetic classification looks at homologous structures - features of different species that derive from a common ancestor.

• Hierarchical System: Organisms are classified into larger groups and then placed within smaller groups, with no overlap between groups.

Taxonomic Ranks (Largest to Smallest): 

• Domain.
• Kingdom.
• Phylum.
• Class.
• Order.
• Family.
• Genus.
• Species.

Mnemonic for Order: "Dear King Philip Came Over For Good Soup."

• Phylogeny: The study of evolutionary relationships and shared common ancestors.
• Phylogenetic Trees: 
  • Show common ancestors and evolutionary history.
  • Branching points represent divergence from a common ancestor.
  • Closer branches indicate closer evolutionary relationships as they show organisms shared a more recent common ancestor.

• Developed by Carl Linnaeus.
• Format: Genus species (e.g., Homo sapiens).
• Rules: 
  • Genus name is capitalised, species name is lowercase.
  • Names are written in italics (or underlined when handwritten).

Using The Scientific Binomial is Advantageous:

• It avoids confusion caused by common names in different languages and ensures consistency in scientific communication.
• It also allows us to consider evolutionary relationships between species. For example, if the species share the same genus, they are more closely related and share a more recent common ancestor.