BioConcepts

classificationclassificatio (lat.); Klassifikation (ger.)

• The result of classifying; a systematic distribution, allocation, or arrangement of things in a number of distinct classes, according to shared characteristics or perceived or deduced affinities. Also: a system or method for classifying. (OED 2010)
  category taxonomy

  1750

  Classification der Conchilien

  Wallerius, J.G. (1750). Mineralogie (transl. by J.D. Denso): 495.

  1760

  Classification […] der Vierfüßigen Thiere

  Klein, J.T. (1760). Classification und Kurze Geschichte der Vierfüßigen Thiere.

  1767

  I have described what belongs to this science, not according to the classifications [Ger. Eintheilungen] and characteristicks, which are generally adopted by, and needful for the modern naturalists, but according to a certain affinity or likeness.

  Cranz, D. (1767). History of Greenland, vol. 1: ix.

  1767

  Natura Insectorum per plures eorum ætates jam perspecta, superest ut systematice eadem contemplemur. Recta autem eorum CLASSIFICATIO vitam huic scientiæ & facultatem conciliat, ubi singula insecta suum quasi nomen ipsa produnt.

  Linnaeus, C. (1767). Fundamenta entomologiæ: 27.

  1932

  Es muß […] unterschieden werden zwischen Systematik und Klassifikation. Die Klassifikation dient zur Einordnung der Organismen in ein Schema, um jeweils vorliegende Formen möglichst schnell und einfach bestimmen zu können, führt also zur Aufstellung von Bestimmungstabellen. In einem System dagegen sollen die inneren Beziehungen der Organismen zum Ausdruck gebracht werden. Die Klassifikation arbeitet mit rein formalen Merkmalen nach qualitativen und hauptsächlich nach quantitativen Gesichtspunkten, das System dagegen sucht die verwandtschaftlichen Beziehungen zum Ausdruck zu bringen.

  Friedrich, H. (1932). Kritische Studien zur Geschichte und zum Wesen des Begriffes der Homologie. Ergebnisse der Anatomie und Entwicklungsgeschichte 29, 25-86: 81.

  1961

  Zoological classification is the ordering of animals into groups (or sets) on the basis of their relationships, that is, of associations by contiguity, similarity, or both

  Simpson, G.G. (1961). Principles of Animal Taxonomy: 7.

  1974

  To achieve clarity I think it desirable to restrict the term classification to ordering into classes (categories in the sense of biologists), in which case ordering organisms into sexual species (for instance) is not classification. Ordering according to element/system relations may be called systematic ordering or systematization. The word ordering may be used to embrace both classification and systematization, as in my preceding sentences. […] Classification in the strict sense is involved in systematics to the extent that we classify systems in various ways. However this is no special feature of systematics, since the activity of classification is involved in all branches of science without exception. Only systematization is exclusive to systematics […]

  the classification of taxa according to their age of origin […] I propose to call Historical Classification […]. Since any given object may be referred to many classes, then clearly no one principle of classification can claim to be uniquely valid. The question of whether the frequent demands for an "evolutionary" classification have any validity is thus quite independent of the validity of classifying taxa in accordance with an historical principle, as advocated by Hennig (1950, 1966).

  Griffiths, G.C.D. (1974). On the foundation of biological systematics. Acta Biotheor. 23, 85-131: 90; 120.

  1982

  classification 1: A process of establishing.. defining and ranking taxa within hierarchical series of groups; cf. artificial classification, natural classification. 2: A hierarchical series of groups or taxa; see Appendix 10. 

  Lincoln, R.J., Boxshall, G.A. & Clark, P.F. (1982). A Dictionary of Ecology, Evolution and Systematics: 48.