John Ray (1627-1705)

British botanist and vicar.

Postulated the existence of species.

Species are invariable creations of God.

There is no lack of perfection, no intermediates.

Chief ideologist of creationism.

Artificial classification (Historia Generalis Plantarum , 1686-1704) of plants based on fruits, leaves and flowers.

Artificial classification of animals, based on toes and teeth.

Carl Linnæus (1707-1778)

Son of priest, 'naturalist'.

Classified all known organisms.

Species are real, invariable entities; created constant and separate.

Artificial classification of plants by their sexual characters: (Systema Naturæ, 1735), flowering plants by the number of stamen, non-flowering by shape of female organs.

Systema Naturæ lacks embellishments.