Our planet is rich in living organisms. Therefore, the problem of their accounting has long arisen. There is a systematics for this. This is a science that studies and classifies the entire animal and plant world. The systematics of animals is based on the compilation of a system with a description of all representatives of this kingdom, including extinct ones. This system is constantly updated.
The new data used in the classification allows the creation of new classes of animals. Insects alone number about a million species. The grouping of animals allows us to trace their historical development, that is, phylogenesis.
The systematics of animals shows the evolution of the animal world. Based on her data, it can be said that simpler forms of animals give way to more complex ones that adapt to new environmental conditions.
The evolutionary process cannot be restored. Therefore, the taxonomy of animals allows us to partially trace the development of the animal world.
Any group of animals is divided into smaller subgroups. Systematics deals precisely with the differentiation of animals, their distribution in groups in the correct sequence. This process involves three steps.
The first step is to describe the group and distribute it by birth. This level is especially important for those groups that are poorly studied or very numerous. These include many groups of insects.
The second stage is to find connections between individual groups that can be attributed to high ranks. At the same time, morphological, embryological similarities are studied, which indicate family relationships between them. This stage makes it possible to trace how animals changed during evolution.
The third stage involves the study of the relationships between individual species. Here is a comparison at the population level. It is usually carried out in well-studied groups. They find out why this or that species is so diverse.
Systematics of animals gives a complete picture of the rich fauna of the planet. Without this science, it would be impossible to accurately trace the entire course of evolution. There would be no reasonable database, but only chaotic information.
The object of taxonomy is a taxon. Taxa are groups of populations that occupy a specific place in the classification system.
Each taxon has two categories of characters. The first category is called typological. It is based on only morphological characters. That is, each species has its own structure or a specific type. This is what determines its place in the classification system. This concept has been successfully applied to research and systematize paleontological findings.
The second category is biological. For living organisms, it is more suitable. Here, preference is given to the criterion of crossing. A separate species is reproductively isolated from other species.
The variety of living organisms makes it difficult to correctly classify them. It is not always possible to establish with accuracy whether the selected animals are a separate species or are these simply genetically modified individuals characteristic of a given territory. In addition, some species of animals can still change under the influence of the external environment.
But, nevertheless, the importance of animal taxonomy is enormous. It gives each species its name in Latin, which eliminates confusion in the case of the use of popular names.
Today, taxonomy is undergoing a period of new development. It uses mathematical methods, computer programs, DNA analysis and many other scientific developments that allow you to get a more complete picture of the rich animal world of the planet.