4 Systematics and Taxonomy 1. Introduction Systematics may be defined as the study of the kinds and diversity of organisms and the relationships among them. Taxonomy, the theory and practice of identifying, describing, naming, and classifying organisms, is an integral part of systematics. | 4 Systematics and Taxonomy 1. Introduction Systematics may be defined as the study of the kinds and diversity of organisms and the relationships among them. Taxonomy the theory and practice of identifying describing naming and classifying organisms is an integral part of systematics. Classification is the arrangement of organisms into groups taxa singular taxon on the basis of their relationships. It follows that identification can take place only after a classification has been established. It should be emphasized that not all authors adopt these definitions. Taxonomy is often used as a synonym of systematics as defined above while classification is sometimes used rather loosely and incorrectly as a synonym of identification. Systematics is an activity that impinges on most other areas of biological endeavor. Yet its importance and fiscal support for it seem to have diminished in recent years. To some extent this may be the fault of systematists who tend to work in isolation often focusing on some small and obscure group of organisms. This may be especially true of entomological systematists who faced with the enormous diversity of the Insecta tend to be seen as counters of bristles measurers of head width and performers of other activities of little relevance to the outside world. In fact as Danks 1988 elegantly pointed out nothing could be further from the truth. Systematics has played and continues to play a major role in fundamental evolutionary and ecological studies for example faunistic surveys zoogeographic work life-history investigations and studies of associations between insects and other organisms. In applied entomology good systematic work is the basis for decisions on the management of pests. Indeed Danks 1988 provided examples of pest-management projects in which inadequate or faulty systematics resulted in failure sometimes with great economic and social cost and see Section 2 . The taxonomy of insects like that of most other groups of living .
