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5 Kingdoms

The document outlines the five-kingdom classification system proposed by Robert H. Whittaker in 1969, categorizing life forms into Monera, Protista, Fungi, Plantae, and Animalia based on cellular organization and nutrition. It details the characteristics of each kingdom, including examples of organisms within them. Additionally, it provides estimates of the total number of species on Earth, highlighting the diversity of life across different kingdoms.

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6 views1 page

5 Kingdoms

The document outlines the five-kingdom classification system proposed by Robert H. Whittaker in 1969, categorizing life forms into Monera, Protista, Fungi, Plantae, and Animalia based on cellular organization and nutrition. It details the characteristics of each kingdom, including examples of organisms within them. Additionally, it provides estimates of the total number of species on Earth, highlighting the diversity of life across different kingdoms.

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somethingf81
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© © All Rights Reserved
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FIVE KINGDOM CLASSIFICATIONS

Definition: A kingdom is a taxonomic rank, the


highest rank, or below Domain in the new three-
domain system. In 1969, Robert H. Whittaker
described a five- kingdom classification system
based on cellular organization, mode of
nutrition, structure-morphology, phylogenetic
relationships and reproduction. The characteristics
of the Five-Kingdom proposed by Whittaker are:

1. Kingdom Monera: Monerans are microscopic,


single celled prokaryotes which lack true nuclei,
but have only nuclear regions or nucleoids.
They lack cell organelles like mitochondria, chloroplasts etc. Cells divide by simple fission. Eg:
archaebacteria, blue-green algae, actinomycetes, mycoplasmas, Bdello vibrios etc.
2. Kingdom Protista: Protists are single celled eukaryotes; some member form loose aggregations of
cells called colonies. It is believed that the first eukaryotes were protists, some of which gave arise to
higher eukaryotes — fungi, plants and animals ‘that dominate the world today. Representatives:
Protozoa and Unicellular algae.
3. Kingdom Fungi : Kingdom Fungi includes molds, yeasts, and fungi, which obtain their food by
absorption. Fungi are also eukaryotic and multicellular. They have cell wall and are usually non-motile.
Fungi digest organic matter extracellularly and absorb the breakdown products. They may reproduce
by producing both asexual and sexual spores. Representatives: slime moulds, moulds or. true fungi,
yeasts, mildew, rust, mushrooms. .
4. Kingdom Plantae: Plantae are eukaryotic, multicellular, and photosynthetic. Plants have cell wall and
are usually non-motile. Cells often have large central vacuole. Plants have indeterminate growth and
often have neither fixed body size nor exact shape. Representatives:, mosses, horse tails, lycopods.
Ferns and seed plants.
5. Kingdom Animalia: Multicellular eukaryotic heterotrophs. Animals lack photosynthetic pigments,
cell wall and obtain nutrients by ingesting other organisms. Many of the members exhibit advanced
tissue differentiation and complex organ systems and move about freely. Growth is determinate,
mostly with definite size and shape. Eg: sponges, jelly fishes, fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds,
mammals,etc.
Note: Total number of species on Earth around 8.7 Million -- with 6.5 million species found on land
and 2.2 million dwelling in the ocean depths.
~7.77 million species of animals (of which 953,434 have been described and cataloged)
~298,000 species of plants (of which 215,644 have been described and cataloged)
~611,000 species of fungi (moulds, mushrooms) (of which 43,271 have been described and
cataloged)
~36,400 species of protozoa (single-cell organisms with animal-like behavior, eg. movement,
of which 8,118 have been described and cataloged)
~27,500 species of chromista (including, eg. brown algae, diatoms, water moulds, of which
13,033 have been described and cataloged)

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