Answer: Taxonomy
Explanation:
Taxonomy is the scientific study of how living organisms are placed in categories (from largest to smallest level) based on their characterictics. It was introduced by a Swiss scientist named Carolus Linnaeus.
He first split living things into a general category called KINGDOM.
- The kingdom is further split into large smaller groups called PHYLUM (for animals) and DIVISION (for plants).
- Each phylum or division is broken down into CLASSES.
- Each class is broken down into ORDERS
- Orders into FAMILIES,
- Families into GENUS
- Genus into SPECIES
Thus, the system of classification from highest (most general category) to the lowest level is as follows: Kingdom --> phylum/division --> class --> order --> family --> genus --> species
