What is the Difference Between Artificial Natural and Phylogenetic System of Classification?
🆚 Go to Comparative Table 🆚The difference between artificial, natural, and phylogenetic systems of classification lies in the criteria used to group organisms and the relationships they reveal. Here is a summary of each system:
- Artificial Classification:
- Involves the selection of organisms arbitrarily and grouping them based on non-evolutionary features.
- Utilizes one or two morphological traits and may use habit and habitat as criteria for classification.
- Does not employ characters from anatomy, cytology, cytochemistry, biochemistry, genetics, ontogeny, etc., for grouping of organisms.
- Homology is not studied.
- Does not provide information about natural relationships or phylogeny.
- May result in placing unrelated organisms in a group and separating related organisms into different groups.
- Natural Classification:
- Employs several morphological characters, as well as characters from anatomy, cytology, cytochemistry, biochemistry, genetics, ontogeny, etc., for the grouping of organisms.
- Studies homology in all characters, including morphology, anatomy, cytotaxonomy, and molecular systematics.
- Provides information about both natural relationships and phylogeny.
- Reduces the chances of placing unrelated organisms in a group and separating related organisms into different groups.
- Phylogenetic Classification:
- Also known as phyletic or cladistic classifications.
- Employs evolutionary relationships, grouping organisms based on genetics.
- Requires the use of biochemistry and molecular biology to add details to the classification.
- Phylogenetic classifications are hypotheses and are subject to further testing.
In summary, artificial classification is based on non-evolutionary features and does not reveal natural relationships, while natural and phylogenetic classifications are based on evolutionary relationships and provide information about the phylogeny of organisms.
Comparative Table: Artificial Natural vs Phylogenetic System of Classification
Here is a table comparing the differences between artificial, natural, and phylogenetic systems of classification:
Feature | Artificial Classification | Natural Classification | Phylogenetic Classification |
---|---|---|---|
Basis | Non-evolutionary features, arbitrarily selected and grouped | Morphological and anatomical relationships and affinities | Genetic relationships among organisms |
Purpose | Stable and easy to develop, does not show evolutionary relationships | Explains natural and some phylogenetic relationships | Depicts genetic relationships among organisms through cladograms |
Groups | Based on easily observable characteristics | Based on a large number of characters | Modern system of classifying organisms |
Relationships | Conveys little information about relationships | Provides more information about relationships |
Artificial classification is based on non-evolutionary features and is stable and easy to develop. Natural classification is based on morphological and anatomical relationships, explaining natural and some phylogenetic relationships. Phylogenetic classification is the modern system of classifying organisms, depicting genetic relationships among organisms through cladograms.
- Taxonomy vs Phylogeny
- Taxonomy vs Systematics
- Cladogram vs Phylogenetic Tree
- Ontogeny vs Phylogeny
- Taxonomy vs Classification
- Phenetics vs Cladistics
- Natural Selection vs Artificial Selection
- Classification vs Binomial Nomenclature
- Nomenclature vs Classification
- Monophyletic Paraphyletic vs Polyphyletic
- Phylum vs Class
- Artificial Selection vs Genetic Engineering
- Natural Selection vs Evolution
- Anagenesis vs Cladogenesis
- Rooted vs Unrooted Phylogenetic Tree
- Natural vs Organic
- Ontology vs Taxonomy
- Natural Selection vs Adaptation
- Cladogram vs Dichotomous Key