Taxonomy mnemonic
![The hierarchy of scientific classification](http://178.128.105.246/cars-http-upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bc/Scientific_classification.svg/100px-Scientific_classification.svg.png)
Taxonomy mnemonics are used to memorize the scientific classification applied in taxonomy. They are usually constructed with a series of words that begin with the letters KPCOFGS, corresponding to the initials of the primary taxonomic ranks. Words beginning with D (corresponding to domain) are sometimes added to the beginning of the sequence, and words beginning with S (corresponding to subspecies) are sometimes added at the end of the sequence.
For example, King Phillip Came Over For Good Spaghetti[1] has the first letter of each word corresponding in order to the first letter of the descending order of scientific classification.
Mnemonic | Zoology term |
---|---|
King | Kingdom |
Phillip | Phylum |
Came | Class |
Over | Order |
For | Family |
Good | Genus |
Spaghetti | Species |
Zoology mnemonics
[edit]Zoology mnemonics, which are used to memorize the scientific taxonomic classification system, include:
- "Do kindly place candy out for good students"
- "Dumb kids playing catch on freeways get squashed"
- "Keep pond clean or fish get sick"[1]
- "Kings play chess on fancy glass stools"
- "King Phillip Came Over For Grandma's Specialty."
- "Despicable King Phillip Came Over For Grandma's Specialty."
- "Despicable King Phillip Covets Our Fancy Giant Swimming pool."
- "Dumb King Phillip Came Over For Grandma's Specialty."
- "Dumb King Phillip Came Over For Grape Soda."
- "Kings Play Croquet on Fine Grass Slopes"
- "King prawns curl over fresh green salad"
- "Kings play cards on fat guys' stomachs"
- "Kinky people come over for group sex"
- "King please can our family go swimming"
- "Kevin, Please come over for gay sex" was seen in Community episode: "Virtual Systems Analysis"
- "Drunken Kangaroos Punch Children on Family Game Shows" was seen on an episode of "The Game Theorists"
Botany mnemonics
[edit]Botanical taxonomy uses the rank of division in place of phylum. Some botany mnemonics follow one of the "King Phillip" variants, with David in place of Phillip.
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b Evans, Rod L. (2007). Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge: The Book of Mnemonic Devices. Penguin. ISBN 978-1-4406-2207-6.