Five Kingdom of Classification

Very early on, scientists began grouping the living organisms under different categories. Some
biologists classified organisms into plants and animals. Ernst Haeckel, Robert Whittaker, and
Carl Woese are some biologists who attempted a broader system of classification. Amongst
these, the Five Kingdom Classification proposed by Robert Whittaker stood out and is widely
used.
Whitaker proposed that organisms should be broadly divided into kingdoms, based on certain
characters like the structure of the cell, mode of nutrition, the source of nutrition,
interrelationship, body organization, and reproduction. According to this system, there are
five main kingdoms. They are:
 Kingdom Monera
 Kingdom Protista
 Kingdom Fungi
 Kingdom Animalia
 Kingdom Plantae

Kingdoms are divided into subgroups at various levels. The following flowchart shows the
hierarchy of classification.
Kingdom → Phylum → Class → Order → Family → Genus → Species
Distinguishing Features of the Five Kingdoms
Kingdom Monera
These organisms are prokaryotic and unicellular. They do not have a well-defined nucleus and
also lack cell organelles. Some organisms show the presence of cell wall while there are
others without a cell wall. Consequently, some organisms are autotrophic and others are
heterotrophic. Examples include Bacteria, Cyanobacteria, and Mycoplasma.

Features of Monerans:
1. They are typically unicellular organisms (but one group is mycelial).
2. Sap vacuoles do not occur. Instead, a gas vacuole may be present.
3. The predominant mode of nutrition is absorptive but some groups are photosynthetic
(holophytic) and chemosynthetic.
4. The organisms are non-motile or move by the beating of simple flagella or by gliding.
5. The genetic material in these organisms is the naked circular DNA.
6. A nuclear envelope is absent. Both, ribosomes and simple chromatophores, are the
only subcellular organelles in the cytoplasm.
Types of Monerans
Kingdom Monera is classified into three sub-kingdoms-
I. Archaebacteria
II. Eubacteria
III. Cyanobacteria

Kingdom Protista
Organisms grouped under Kingdom Protista are all unicellular, but eukaryotic organisms.
These are the simplest forms of eukaryotes that exhibit either autotrophic or heterotrophic
mode of nutrition. Some organisms have appendages such as cilia or flagella or pseudopodia
to move around. Some examples are Diatoms, Protozoans like Amoeba, Paramoecium

Features of Kingdom Protista:

1. They are primarily aquatic.
2. They form a link with the others dealing with plants, animals and fungi.
3. Also, they have a well-defined nucleus and other membrane-bound organelles.
4. Some have flagella or cilia.
5. They can reproduce asexually and sexually.
Sub-groups of Protista:
 Chrysophytes
 Dinoflagellates
 Euglenoids
 Slime Moulds
 Protozoans

Kingdom Fungi
Heterotrophic, Multicellular and Eukaryotic organisms are grouped under Kingdom Fungi.
Their mode of nutrition is saprophytic as they use decaying organic matter as food. They have
cell walls, which are made up of a substance called Chitin. Fungi also form a symbiotic
association with some blue-green algae. Yeast, Mushroom, Aspergillus are examples of Fungi.

Features of Fungi:
1. The plant body of true fungi is a thallus. It may be non-mycelial or mycelial.
2. The cell wall of fungi is mainly made up of chitin and cellulose.
3. The fungi are achlorophyllous organisms. Hence, they cannot prepare their food. They
live as heterotrophs i.e., as parasites and saprophytes. Some forms live symbiotically
with other green forms.
4. The fungi either reproduce vegetatively, asexually or sexually.

Kingdom Plantae
These are Eukaryotic, Multicellular organisms with a cell wall that is made up of cellulose.
They are autotrophs and synthesize their own food through the process of photosynthesis.
This kingdom includes all plants.
Based on the body differentiation and presence or absence of specialized vascular tissue,
Kingdom Plantae is divided into different divisions, namely Thallophyta, Bryophyta,
Pteridophyta, Gymnosperms, and Angiosperms. Examples are Spirogyra, Ferns, Pines, and
Mango Plant etc.
Features of Plantae:
1. They have special organelles called chloroplasts.
2. They are autotrophic.
3. Reproduction can be asexual and sexual.
4. They show alternation of generation.

Kingdom Animalia
This Kingdom includes organisms that are Multicellular, Eukaryotic, without the presence of
cell wall. They have a heterotrophic mode of nutrition. They also exhibit great diversity. Some
organisms are simple while others have a complex body with specialized tissue differentiation
and body organs.
The Animal Kingdom is divided into many phyla and classes. Some of the phyla are Porifera,
Coelenterata, Arthropoda, Echinodermata, Chordata etc. Examples – Hydra, Starfish,
Earthworms, Monkeys, Birds etc.

Features of Animalia:
1. They are multicellular organisms that do not possess chlorophyll.
2. The mode of nutrition is heterotrophic i.e. they depend on other organisms for food.
3. They have muscle cells due to which they have the capability to contract and relax the
body parts.
4. Reproduction is sexual. However, asexual reproduction is also found in lower forms.
5. During development, the multicellular embryo is formed from the zygote.
6. They require oxygen for aerobic respiration.