Taxonomy or The Linneaus Classification System  This is the way scientists organize things (animals, vegetables and minerals) into categories, according to characteristics they have in common. The first category (Kingdom) is the most general. The last category (species) is most specific. Scientists use Latin, the "universal scientific language," to name all the things they classify.     (King) Kingdom (Animal, Vegetable, or Mineral?)   (Phillip) Phylum   (Can) Class (Birds or "Aves," Mammals or "Mammalia," etc. . . ) (Only) Order   (Find) Family   (Good) Genus (describes what a few species have in common)   (Shrimp) Species (one specific kind of thing or animal) PRIMATE TAXONOMY Kingdom: Animalia (includes all Animals) Phylum: Chordata (includes all animals that have a spinal chord) Class: Mammalia (includes all animals that have a spinal chord, nurse their young with milk, have hair or fur, are warm-blooded) Order: Primates (includes all mammals that have 5 prehensile fingers & toes, fingernails, opposable thumbs, can stand upright, etc.) Family: Hominidae (includes all primates that are "human-like": have large brains, large bodies and no tails) Genus: see box below (groups together animals in the family Hominidae that are very similar) Species see box below (names one, specific animal) Common Name Human Chimpanzee Bonobo Gorilla Orangutan Genus Homo Pan Pan Gorilla Pongo Species sapien troglodytes paniscus gorilla pygmaeus The family Hominidae, (hominids) include humans and human-like great apes: Homo sapien  Pan Paniscus   Pan troglodytes  Gorilla gorilla   Pongo pygmaeus Great Ape Project The Wild Classroom