Define classification.

Classification is the systematic organization of living organisms into hierarchical groups based on shared characteristics, evolutionary relationships, and structural similarities. This scientific process involves:

• Identifying organisms based on observable and molecular traits
• Grouping them into categories (taxa) from broad to specific
• Naming according to standardized nomenclature rules
• Arranging in hierarchical levels: Kingdom → Phylum → Class → Order → Family → Genus → Species

Classification serves multiple purposes: organizing biological diversity for study, revealing evolutionary relationships, predicting organism properties based on group membership, and facilitating communication among scientists worldwide. Modern classification increasingly incorporates molecular and genetic data alongside traditional morphological characteristics, making it more reflective of true evolutionary relationships (phylogeny).