Tree of Life for Fossil Collectors

Tree of Life for Fossil Collectors
also see the Domains and Kingdoms of Life

 

 

 

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The scheme below uses both the old Linnaeus classification system, as well as some new phylogenic conventions, including the three domains of life. It is merely intended as a ontology (i.e., road map) to use to link to information and pictures of various categories of fossils. For sure, as genomes, proteomes and gene function of extant organisms are studied, there will be surprises and scientific debate, and branching points in the Great Tree of Life will likely change.

Linnaeus Classification Scheme: Kingdom - e.g. animalia Phylum - chordata Class - mammalia Order - primate Family - hominidae Genus - homo species - sapiens A Pseudo Tree of Life for Fossil Collectors:   Domain (note: 1st 7/8ths of geological history dominated by stromatolites across all 3 domains of life)   Eubacteria ("True bacteria", mitochondria, and chloroplasts)   Archaea (Methanogens, Halophiles, Sulfolobus, and relatives)   Eukaryotes (Protists, Plants, Fungi, Animals, Algae, etc.)   Kingdom Protista (single-celled animals)*   Kingdom Chromista (single-celled plant and plant-like)   Kingdom Fungi   Kingdom Plantae   Division Bryophyta (mosses)   Division Lycophyta (scale trees, club moss)   Division Pteridopsida (ferns)   Division Spermatophytes (seed plants)   Fossil Amber   Kingdom Animalia (Metazoa)   Various Worms   Phylum Porifera (sponges)   Phylum Cnidaria   Anthozoa (corals, anemones   Cubozoa (box jellyfish)   Scyphozoa (jellyfish   Phylum Arthropoda (Ecdysozoa - molting animals)   Class trilobita [about trilobites]   Class crustacea (crabs, lobster, shrimp)   Class hexapoda (insects) [about insects]   Class Myriapoda (millipedes, centipedes)   Class Cheliceramorpha (spiders)   Arachnida (spiders, mites, ticks, scorpions, pseudoscorpions)   Eurypterid (sea scorpion)   Xiphosura (horseshoe crabs)   Lophophorates   Phylum Brachiopoda   Phylum Bryozoa   Phylum Mollusca   bivalvia   cephalopoda (squid, octopus, ammonites)   gastropoda (snails)   Deuterostomia   Phylum Echinodermata   Ateroidea (starfish)   Crinoidea (crinoids)   Echinoidea (sea urchins, sand dollars)   Edioasteroidea (like starfish)   Eocrinoidea (dawn crinoids)   Ophiuroidea (brittle stars)   Phylum Chordata   Urochordata *   Fish   Amphibians   Reptiles   Dinosauria   Dinosaurs   Birds   Mammals * = not important in fossil record

From the first dawn of life, all organic beings are found to resemble each other in descending degrees, so they can be classed in groups under groups.

Charles Darwin, Origin of Species, Chapter 13