Taxonomy

Explanation

Kingdom:

Animalia

Animals -- one of five kingdoms.

Phylum:

Chordata

Animals with a notochord (supporting rod of cells along the upper surface).

Chordates are regarded as the most highly developed of animals and are subdivided into  subphylums called urochordata, cephalochordata (meaning that the notochord is in the tail and head respectively) and vertebrata. Our interest is in the last one which is then divided into five further groupings:

• FISH: Live in water, fins, scales (usually), gills.
• AMPHIBIANS: No scales, rough or slimy skin, lay eggs.
• REPTILES: Scaly skin, lay eggs.
• BIRDS: Feather, wings, beaks, scaly legs, lay eggs.
• MAMMALS: Fur or hair on skin, young born alive and suckled.

Subphylum:

Vertebrata

Animals with backbones.

Class:

Mammalia

Animals which suckle their young on milk from mammary glands.

Subclass:

Eutheria

Mammals whose young develop for some time in the female's reproductive tract gaining nourishment from a placenta.

Order:

Carnivora

 Meat-eaters. Divided into two suborders:
Aeluroidea (cats, hyenas and civets)
Arctoidea (dogs, weasels, bears, raccoons)

Family:

Felidae

Subfamily:

 Panthernae

Genus:

Panthera

Species:

tigris

Subspecies:

Panthera tigris altaica
 Panthera tigris amoyensis
Panthera tigris corbetti
Panthera tigris sumatrae
Panthera tigris tigris

(The following three subspecies are considered extinct)

 Panthera tigris balica
 Panthera tigris sondaica
  Panthera tigris  virgata