Order (biology)

An order is a rank used in the biological taxonomy. Each order is split into families. There are many orders in each class. A group of closely related families forms an order. The similar characters are less in number as compared to different genera included in family.

Examples of order

• Carnivora is an order of meat-eating mammals. The cat family, dog family and bear family are in this order.
• Rodents are an order. Rats and mice are in one family. Squirrels belong in another family.
• Primates are another order of mammals. Apart from humans, most live in forests.
• Pine trees are a genus in the order Pinales. The order also includes all other living conifers, such as the cypress and yew families.

Order (biology) Media

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  Title page of the 1758 edition of Linnaeus's Systema Naturæ.