Artificial classification

From Palaeos.org

An artificial classification is one that sorts organisms into taxa using obvious, easily recognisable features without consideration of the phylogenetic or biological significance of the characters used, for instance the division of the fungi into "Fungi Perfecti" (sexually reproducing forms) and "Fungi Imperfecti" (asexual forms). Artificial classifications are likely to be based on analogous rather than homologous features.

While artificial classifications are generally frowned on these days, and rightly so, they have had some utilitarian significance in the past in managing large clusters of organisms (such as the afore-mentioned asexual fungi) that, until recently, researchers lacked the means and methods to place them in a more natural system.

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