In biological classification, a phylum is a high-level taxonomic rank used to categorize and group organisms based on their fundamental body plan and general evolutionary relationships. It sits below the kingdom level and above the class level in the hierarchy of classification. Phyla represent a broad category that includes multiple classes of organisms that share certain fundamental characteristics but may exhibit significant diversity within those groups.
For example, in the animal kingdom, the phylum Chordata includes organisms with a notochord or a spinal cord at some stage in their development, encompassing diverse creatures from fish and birds to mammals and reptiles.
Phyla serve as a way to organize and classify the immense diversity of life on Earth into larger, more manageable groups based on shared characteristics.
