Final answer:
The subject is phylogenetic classification in Biology, and it involves sorting organisms into taxa based on proximate descent in a cladogram or phylogenetic tree, following a hierarchical taxonomic classification system.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question refers to the process of organizing living organisms into categories based on evolutionary relationships, which is known as a phylogenetic classification. In a phylogenetic classification, organisms are sorted based on a single criterion: proximity of descent. This means that all named units, or taxa, should constitute a set of closest relatives, such as in the construction of a cladogram.
Phylogenetic Trees and Cladistics
To construct phylogenetic trees, scientists use a method known as cladistics. This method groups organisms into clades or monophyletic groups. A clade includes the ancestral species and all of its descendants from a branch point. This reflects the organisms' shared evolutionary history and homologous traits. For example, a cladogram might show how different species with amniotic eggs form a clade because they all share a common ancestor that had that characteristic trait.
The taxonomic classification system developed by Carl Linnaeus organizes species based on shared characteristics into a hierarchical model with multiple levels: species, genus, family, order, class, phylum, kingdom, and domain. As you move up the hierarchy, taxa become more inclusive, but members within a taxon share a common ancestor and, therefore, are more closely related to each other than to members of other taxa.