Example of Taxonomy

Taxonomy is a formal scientific classification of species and sub species of plants and animals. This system was introduced to put order into a range of scientific names and common names which was chaotic, producing multiple, often incorrect names, for species. Standard taxonomy uses a series of classifications and sub classifications to describe a species. The hierarchy of classification is formally written as:

In common usage and in most texts the extended classification system is redundant, and reduced to species-specific terms unless otherwise required.