Glossary
Class
A rank below phylum. Mammals (Mammalia) and birds (Aves) are classes.
Familiar groups do not always match a single class. “Fish” covers several classes, which is why the groups on this site are defined by lists of branches rather than by one rank.
Related terms
- Rank
- A level in the classification hierarchy, such as genus, family or order.
- Phylum
- A major division of a kingdom, grouping animals that share a basic body plan.
- Order
- A rank below class. Carnivora, the order of cats, dogs, bears and their relatives, is one.
- Group
- On this site, a familiar everyday grouping such as “big cats” or “birds of prey”, defined by the branches of the classification it contains.