Question

Artificial system of classification is based on?

Answer 1

This type of classification is based on a single or many arbitrary characters. For example, classifying plants according to the number and situation of their stamens, styles, and stigmas rather than their evolutionary relationships.

Complete answer:
An artificial system of classification is based on the general weighting of taxonomic characters. These characters do not show any evolutionary relationship. Artificial classification is a type of downward classification based on dichotomous branching. Like, the animal kingdom is divided on the presence or absence of red blood cells. This classification does not tell us about any missing link or common ancestors. Additionally, it also does not help in establishing evolutionary and phylogenetic relationships. Artificial classification basically involves arbitrarily selecting unifying characteristics from organisms first and then grouping them accordingly. This system of classification was first introduced by Carolus Linnaeus.

Additional information:
One of the advantages of artificial classification is that such schemes are easy to develop and relatively more stable.
The disadvantage is that this system does not generally show evolutionary relationships and for this reason is not commonly used.
For example: If organisms were to be classified on the basis of the presence of fins then whales would also be grouped with fishes. If organisms were to be classified on the basis of the presence of shells then snails would be grouped with turtles and not with squid.
But, on the other hand, natural classification involves grouping organisms based on similarities first and then identifying shared characteristics.
According to the natural classification system, all members of a particular group would have shared a common ancestor. This means that this can also be used to predict characteristics shared by species within a group. The only disadvantage of such schemes is that they are highly mutable and tend to change as new information is discovered and through the course of time.

Notes:
There is also a third type of classification system particularly known as phylogenetic classification. It is being used presently to differentiate organisms based on genetics. According to this system organisms that share a greater level of homology or similarities in their DNA or amino acid sequences are likely to be more closely related.