Taxaonmy is the classification of things according to their natural relationships. The term is commonly used to refer to the classification of plants and animals, but animate objects, inanimate objects, places, and events, may be classified according to some taxonomic scheme.
The Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) is a partnership designed to produce a complete and accessible database of taxonomic information for every recognized species and other taxa to provide reliable information on the taxonomy of biological species. ITIS was originally formed in 1996 as an interagency group within the US federal government, involving agencies from the Department of Commerce to the Smithsonian Institution. It is now an international body, with Canadian and Mexican government agencies participating, and collaborates with other international agencies.
