(vi) Principles of Classification : After dividing the then known species under several

genera, Linnaeus himself segregated all genera under six classes, viz., Mammalia, Aves,
Amphibia, pisces, Insecta and Vermes, merely on morphological grounds. As better criteria
for classification were adopted during the 18th century, six main grading categories, ranks or
taxa were proposed, and these were also later adopted by Linnaeus (1758) :
(1) Species, (2) Genus, (3) Family, (4) Order, (5) Class, (6) Phylum
As is clear from the sequence or hierarchy of these groupings or taxa, two or more related
species, evolved from a common ancestor according to the concept of Organic Evolution,
form a common genus related genera constitute a family; related families are combined into
an order; orders into a class, and classes into a phylum. Term Phylum in animal
classification was coined by G.L cuvier.
(vii) Artificial vs. Natural classifications : Since earlier schemes of classification, like
the one presented even by Linnaeus, used to be based on superficial resemblance, these were
incapable or revealing the natural relationships of the species concerned. Hence, these were
artificial schemes of classification. According to the universally accepted concept of Organic
Evolution, all species, existing today, evolved in the remote past, from common ancestors as
a result of adaptive radiation or divergence. Hence, all species are related to each other
closely or remotely, and can be segregated into larger and smaller groups according to the
extent of this phylogenetic relationship. In contrast to artificial classifications, a natural
classification, thus, already exists within the framework of the natural order of the animal
world itself, only waiting to be fully discovered. Evidently, a natural scheme of classification
must be based upon criteria which reflect the fundamental or genetic, i.e., blood
relationships of the species concerned. To cite a few, the symmetry, organization and
segmentation of body, types of body cavities and appendages, sexual characteristics and
development, cellular specialization, biochemistry and genetics, habits and habitat, larval
stages, etc., are criteria of this category. A scheme of classification based upon these criteria
will, thus, be a Natural, or Phylogenetic, or Genealogical classification.
Comparison between Non-chordata and Chordata
Features Non chordata Chordata
Symmetry Radial, biradial or lacking Biradial
Metamerism True of pseudometamerism or lacking True metamerism
Post-anal tail Lacking Usually present
Grade of organization Protoplasmic to organ-system Organ-system
Germ layers 2. (diploblastic), 3 (triploblastic) or lacking 3, triploblastic
Coelom Acoelomate, pseudocoelomate or truly coelomate Truly coelomate
Notochord Notochord or backbone lacking Present at some stage or replaced by a
backbone made of ring like vertebrae
Pharyngeal gill-slits Absent Present at some stage of life
Anus Opens on the last segment or absent Differentiated and opens before the
last segment
Blood vascular system Open, closed or absent Closed
Heart Dorsal, lateral or absent Ventrally placed
Dorsal blood vessel Blood flows anteriorly Blood flows posteriorly
Hepatic portal system Absent Present
Haemoglobin In plasma or absent In red blood corpuscles
Respiration Through body surface, gills or tracheae Through gills or lungs
Nervous system Solid Hollow
Brain Above pharynx or absent Dorsal to pharynx in head
Nerve cord Double, ventral, usually bearing ganglia Single, dorsal, without ganglia
Reproduction A sexual Sexual reproduction predominant
Regeneration power Usually good Usually poor
Body temperature Cold-blooded Cold or warm-blooded