Taxonomy Collection (page 8)

Ortolan bunting bird
A photograph of an original hand-colored engraving from The History of British Birds by Morris published in 1853-1891

Serin Finch bird
A photograph of an original hand-colored engraving from The History of British Birds by Morris published in 1853-1891

Mealy Redpoll bird
A photograph of an original hand-colored engraving from The History of British Birds by Morris published in 1853-1891

Linnet bird
A photograph of an original hand-colored engraving from The History of British Birds by Morris published in 1853-1891

Garganey Duck Waterfowl bird
A photograph of an original hand-colored engraving from The History of British Birds by Morris published in 1853-1891

Teal Duck Waterfowl bird
A photograph of an original hand-colored engraving from The History of British Birds by Morris published in 1853-1891

Entomology, W. Rothschild Zoological Museum
The Museum was bequeathed to the Natural History Museum following Rothschilds death in 1937, along with its unique collections of preserved animals

John Ray (1627-1795) English naturalist born at Black Notley, Essex. Pioneer of plant taxonomy (classification). Engraving by William Elder (1680-1700)

Female bumblebee, Bombus auricomas C018 / 3579
Female bumblebee, Bombus auricomas. This species is native to North America and inhabits urban areas. Photographed by the USGS Bee Inventory and Monitoring Lab

Darkling beetle C018 / 3565
Darkling beetle. Close-up photograph of a darkling beetle head (superfamily: Tenebrionidae). This specimen was found in Maryland, USA

Black horse fly C018 / 4697
Black horse fly (Tabanus atratus), close-up photograph. This specimen was found in Maryland, USA. Photographed by the USGS Bee Inventory and Monitoring Lab: an organisation dedicated to identifying

Female sweat bee head with pollen C018 / 3573
Female sweat bee head with pollen. Close-up photograph of a female sweat bee (Halictus ligatus) covered in pollen. This specimen is native to North America and was found in Pennsylvania

Planthopper C018 / 4803
Planthopper (Rhynchomitra sp.), close-up photograph. This specimen was found in Maryland, USA. Photographed by the USGS Bee Inventory and Monitoring Lab: an organisation dedicated to identifying

Hoverfly C018 / 4696
Hoverfly (Helophilus sp.), close-up photograph. This specimen was found in Maryland, USA. Photographed by the USGS Bee Inventory and Monitoring Lab: an organisation dedicated to identifying

Sharpshooter C018 / 4810
Sharpshooter (Oncometopia orbona), side view photograph. This specimen was found in Maryland, USA. Sharpshooters belong to the leafhopper family of insects

Japanese beetle C018 / 3566
Japanese beetle (Popillia japonica), close-up photograph. This species originates from Japan but has become a serious pest of plants in the USA

Ground cricket C018 / 4690
Ground cricket, close-up photograph. This specimen (unknown species) was found in Maryland, USA. Photographed by the USGS Bee Inventory and Monitoring Lab: an organisation dedicated to identifying

Female mason bee C018 / 3588
Female mason bee (Osmia texana). Side view photograph of a mason bee. This specimen is native to North America and feeds only on thistle plant pollen and nectar

Hoverfly C018 / 4692
Hoverfly (Eristalis sp.), close-up photograph. This specimen was found in Maryland, USA. Pollen can be seen on the back of the hoverfly

Prokaryote cell, artwork C016 / 6263
Prokaryote cell. Computer artwork showing the internal structure of a typical prokaryotic cell. Prokaryotes are organisms whose cells lack a membrane-bound nucleus (karyon)

Eukaryote cell, artwork C016 / 6260
Eukaryote cell. Computer artwork showing the internal structure of a typical eukaryotic cell. Eukaryotes are organisms whose cells contain a membrane-bound nucleus (karyon, orange)

Prokaryote and eukaryote cells, artwork C016 / 6259
Prokaryote and eukaryote cells. Computer artwork comparing typical prokaryotic (top) and eukaryotic (bottom) cells. Prokaryotes are organisms whose cells lack a membrane-bound nucleus (karyon)

Stag beetle C016 / 2181
Stag beetle

Pine hawk moth C016 / 2281
Pine hawk moth. View of the upperside of a female pine hawk moth (Sphinx pinastri) with its wings spread. This moth is found in the Palaearctic ecozone, and sometimes the Nearctic ecozone

Grasshopper C018 / 4807
Grasshopper (Melanoplus sanguinipes), side view photograph. This specimen was found in Maryland, USA. Photographed by the USGS Bee Inventory and Monitoring Lab

Pygmy grasshopper C018 / 4809
Pygmy grasshopper (Tettigidea lateralis), close-up photograph. This specimen was found in Maryland, USA. Photographed by the USGS Bee Inventory and Monitoring Lab

Male bee C018 / 3571
Male bee. Close-up photograph of a male bee head (Anthophora affabilis). This specimen is native to the US and was found in Badlands National Park, South Dakota

Harvestman C018 / 4979
Harvestman (Leiobunum flavum), side view photograph. The harvestman belongs to the same class as spiders and scorpions (arachnida). This specimen was found in Maryland, USA

Indian hemp beetle C018 / 4686
Indian hemp beetle (Chrysochus auratus), close-up photograph. This specimen was found in Maryland, USA. It has an iridescent blue-green coloured body

Apple bark borer moth C018 / 4806
Apple bark borer moth (Synanthedon pyri) close-up photograph of the head and thorax. The moth is covered with iridescent coloured scales. This specimen was found in Maryland, USA

Female bee head C018 / 3570
Female bee head. Close-up photograph of a female bee head (Megachile lanata). This specimen was found in Cuba. The species was originally from Africa and has since spread to the Caribbean

Epilecta linogrisea moth C016 / 2131
Epilecta linogrisea moth

Defunct Linnaean taxonomy, 1823 C017 / 8071
Defunct Linnaean taxonomy. 19th-century artworks of mammals and reptiles classified according to now mostly defunct Linnaean taxonomy

Defunct Linnaean taxonomy, 1823 C017 / 8070
Defunct Linnaean taxonomy. 19th-century artworks of a range of mammals classified according to now mostly defunct Linnaean taxonomy

Fish illustrations, 1823 C017 / 8067
Fish illustrations, 19th century. These ten fish are (top to bottom, left to right): a Conger eel; a tube-eye fish (Stylephorus chordatus); a swordfish (Xiphias gladius)

Insect illustrations, 1823 C017 / 8066
Insect illustrations, 19th century. These insects include (from top to bottom): two mantids (Mantis oratoria, now Iris oratoria; and Mantis siccifolia), a cricket (Gryllus montrosus)

Botany illustrations, 1823 C017 / 8064
Botany illustrations, 19th century. These illustrations show plant taxonomy (Linnean classes and orders) as established by Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus (1707-1778) in his Systema Naturae (1735)

Insect illustrations, 1823 C017 / 8065
Insect illustrations, 19th century. The insects shown here include: a stag beetle (Lucanus cervus, top left); a Papilio swallowtail butterfly (upper right); a Dytiscus diving beetle (top right)

Carl Linnaeus, Swedish botanist C016 / 5004
Carl Linnaeus (1707-1778), Swedish botanist and taxonomist. Linnaeus is considered the founder of modern taxonomy, the system of classifying living organisms

Charles Sherborn, British taxonomist C016 / 4976
Charles Davies Sherborn (1861-1942), British taxonomist, naturalist and geologist (also known as Squire ), working at his desk in the Natural History Museum, London, UK

Plant reproduction, 18th century C013 / 6257
Plant reproduction. 18th-century description and illustrations describing the reproductive parts of plants. Titled Methodus plantarum sexalis in systemate naturae descripta

E. Trewavas, British ichthyologist C013 / 6227
Ethelwynne Trewavas (1900-1993), British ichthyologist. Trewavas, who continued the work of Charles Tate Regan, was Curator of Fish at the Natural History Museum

Taxonomic research in the fish section
Research on the fish collections at the Natural History Museum, London

Carl Linnaeus (1707-1778)
Painting of Carl Linnaeus, a Swedish botanist, physician and zoologist, by Magnus Hallman, c. 1780. Original held at the Natural History Museum, London. Linnaeus is known as the Father of Taxonomy

Organising nature section in Cocoon
The Organising nature section in Cocoon in the Darwin Centre at the Natural History Museum, London

Stars. Computer artwork showing a combination of stars of different colours, sizes and brightness. The colour of a star will depend on several of its properties, including its chemical composition

Biological collection. Collection of biological specimens arranged in a circular pattern. Clockwise from upper right are: seeds from tropical legume plants, euphorbia flowers, jewel beetles

Butterfly collection. Display of various British butterflies (order Lepidoptera) mounted and labelled on card. There are an estimated 180, 000 species of Lepidoptera butterflies worldwide

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Taxonomy, the science of classification, unveils the intricate web of life on our planet. Just as the standard periodic table categorizes elements based on their properties, taxonomy organizes living organisms into distinct groups. From the majestic Yellow Hammer bird to the fierce Sparrow Hawk bird of prey, each species finds its place in this systematic arrangement. Similar to how elements are grouped by type in the periodic table, birds too can be classified based on their characteristics. The Belted kingfisher with its vibrant plumage and impressive diving skills stands alongside the agile Nuthatch and its unique ability to move headfirst down tree trunks. Delving deeper into history, we find a plate dated 1793 that showcases early attempts at taxonomy. Even Aristotle himself contributed to this field centuries ago with his observations and classifications of various species. One significant milestone came in 1807 when Linnaeus introduced a plant sex system, revolutionizing our understanding of reproductive mechanisms within plants. This breakthrough further highlighted how taxonomy extends beyond just animals. The Hobby small falcon bird of prey takes flight alongside other avian wonders like the Egyptian Nightjar and Swallow-tailed Kite. Each one possesses distinctive features that make them perfectly adapted for survival in their respective habitats. Intriguingly complex yet beautifully organized, taxonomy allows us to unravel nature's secrets while appreciating its diversity. As we continue exploring Earth's biodiversity through taxonomic studies, we gain invaluable insights into our own existence within this vast tapestry of life.