Taxonomy Terminology

noun a principal taxonomic category that ranks above class and below kingdom, equivalent to the division in botany

• The phylum Chordata includes all vertebrates and some invertebrates with a notochord.
• Did you know humans belong to the phylum Chordata?
• I never knew there was a phylum called Chordata, sounds like a cool club.
• In the vast phylum of music genres, rock and roll stands out as a classic.

noun a taxonomic group, such as a species or genus

• The taxon classification system helps scientists organize and categorize different species.
• I learned about a new taxon called 'Canidae' which includes dogs, wolves, and foxes.
• I'm not sure what taxon that weird bug belongs to, but it looks creepy.
• In the taxonomic tree of life, humans belong to the taxon known as 'Homo sapiens'.

noun a taxonomic order of crustaceans known as barnacles that have a soft body enclosed in a shell made of plates

• The Acrothoracica is a subclass of parasitic barnacles that attach themselves to various marine animals.
• Have you heard of those Acrothoracica barnacles that cling onto other sea creatures?
• Those Acrothoracica barnacles are like the freeloaders of the ocean, just hitching a ride on other animals.
• Like the Acrothoracica barnacles, some people tend to latch onto others for their own benefit without giving anything in return.