History History of biological classification is as old as human culture. Human beings started giving names to the animals and plants and classified them on the basis of their use Our Vedic literature (2500 BC to 650 BC) recorded about 740 plants and 250 animals. The first attempt of classification is observed in Chandyoga Upanishad, which classified animals into three categories (1) Jivaja (viviparous), eg. mammals (2) Andaja (oviparous), eg, birds, reptiles, insects and worms (3) Udbhija (vegetable origin), eg, minute animals In Post-Vedic Indian literature, such as Susruta Samhita, all living forms are classified into 5thavara (immobile). Le, plants and Jangama (mobile), eg., animals. Plants were further divided into Vanaspati (fruit yielding, nonflowering plants), Vriksa (fruit yielding, flowering plants) and Osadhi (plants provide medicine). Susruta Samhita also classified animals into Kulacara (herbivores that frequently visit river banks, eg. Elephant, Buffalo, etc., Matsya (fish