FIVE KINGDOM CLASSIFICATIONS

I. Constructed by R.H Whittaker (1969)

A. KINGDOM MONERA:

i. No Organized Nucleus (Prokaryote)

ii. Single celled organism i.e. Unicellular.

iii. Nuclear material not bounded by a true nuclear membrane (i.e. Prokaryote)

iv. Membrane bound cell organelles absent (e.g.: Mitochondria, Chloroplast)

E.g.: Bacteria, Cyanobacteria.

B. KINGDOM PROTISTA:

i. Have well defined nucleus with a nuclear membrane (i.e. Eukaryotic)

ii. Presence of Membrane bound cell organelles.

iii. Locomotion takes place with help Pseudopodia, Flagella, Cilia.

iv. Unicellular.

E.g.:

i. Unicellular Green Autotrophic – Chlamydomonas.

ii. Unicellular non-green Heterotrophic – Euglena.

iii. Unicellular Non green heterotrophic – Paramoecium.

C. KINGDOM FUNGI:

i. Body made of thread like filaments called Hyphae.

ii. Hyphae form network of Mycelium.

iii. Absence of Chlorophyll (Achlorophyllous)

iv. Multicellular.

v. In the hyphae there are many nuclei scattered through a continuous mass of cytoplasm (Coenocytic-

Hyphae)

vi. Cell wall made of Chitin/Fungal cellulose.

vii. Saprotrophic mode of nutrition.

E.g.: Rhizopus (Bread mould), Agaricus (Common Mushroom), Penicillium.

D. KINGDOM PLANTAE:

i. Chlorophyll or other photosynthetic pigment present in their cells.

ii. Growth is indefinite.

iii. Can prepare their own food (i.e. Photosynthetic)/Autotrophic.

iv. Cell wall made of cellulose.

v. Multicellular, eukaryotic.

GROUPS OF KINGDOM PLANTAE:

A. THALLOPHYTA:

i. Plant body is not differentiated into root stem or leaves (Thallus)

ii. Habitat is aquatic.

iii. Can have chlorophyll or blue green or brown pigments.

E.g.: Algae, Spirogyra, and Volvox.

B. BRYOPHYTA: (Amphibia of the plant kingdom)

i. Plant body is divided into root like structure called Rhizoids.

ii. Non Vascular plants (No Xylem or Phloem)

E.g.: Moss, Funaria.

C. PTERIDOPHYTA:

i. Plant body is differentiated into root, stem and leaves.

ii. Leaves bear leaflets and have spores on the underside.

iii. Non flowering plants.

iv. Vascular tissue present (Xylem and Phloem are present)

E.g.: Ferns.

D. GYMNOSPERMS:

i. Seeds are not enclosed within fruit (Naked seeds)

ii. Do not have flower.

iii. Seeds are present on structures called cones.

iv. Male and the female cones are separate.

v. Male cone has pollen grain and female cone has ovule.

vi. Pollination is by wind.

vii. Two types: Conifers and Cycads.

viii. E.g. of Conifer: Pine.

ix. E.g. of Cycad: Cycas.

E. ANGIOSPERMS: (FLOWERING PLANTS)

i. Plant body is differentiated into root, stem, leaves, fruits and flowers.

ii. Seeds are enclosed within fruit.

THE ANGIOSPERMS ARE DIVIDED INTO 2 GROUPS: MONOCOT AND DICOT.

MONOCOT DICOT
i. Seeds bear one cotyledon. i. Seeds bear two cotyledons.
ii. Parallel venation of leaves. ii. Reticulate venation of leaves.
iii. Fibrous root system. iii. Tap root system.
E.g.: Maize. E.g.: Bean.

E. KINGDOM ANIMALIA:

i. Cells without cell wall.

ii. Well-developed muscular system for locomotion.

iii. Have special digestive organs.

iv. Mode of nutrition is heterotrophic.

v. Growth is definite.

vi. They have sense organs and a nervous system.

E.g.: Tiger, Sponge, and Starfish Earthworm.

BINOMIAL NOMENCLATURE: The method of naming an organism where the first name is the genus
name and the second name is the species name. The genus name starts with a capital letter while the
species name is with small letter. We need to underline both the words separately. It was given by
Carolus Linnaeus.

Animals are divided into two groups based on presence or absence of backbone i.e. Invertebrates
(absence of backbone) and Vertebrates (presence of backbone).

I. INVERTEBRAE PHYLA:

A. PHYLUM PORIFERA:

i. Body wall consists of numerous pores called Ostia for entry of water.

ii. Body consists of a hollow tube (Spongocoel) with large opening at the top called Osculum for exit of
water.

iii. Skeleton made of calcareous spicules or spongin fibres.

iv. Diploblastic body wall (Two layered body wall).

v. Body wall has a network of canal system with choanocyte cells on in the inner side. These help to
filter out particles from water and create the water current for entry of water.

E.g.: Sycon and Bathe sponge.

B. PHYLUM CNIDARIA/PHYLUM COELENTERATA:

i. Single large gastro vascular cavity (Coelenteron) opens by a mouth at one end.

ii. Mouth surrounded by tentacles.

iii. Stinging structures called nematocyst present in the Cells called Cnidoblasts in the tentacles which
are used to catch prey.

iv. Life cycle has two phases – Fixed Phase (Polyp) and free swimming phase (Medusa).

v. Diploblastic body wall.

E.g.: Hydra, Jelly Fish, and Obelia.

C. PHYLUM PLATYHELMINTHES: (FLATWORMS)

i. Soft, flat, leaf like unsegmented body.

ii. Dorso-Ventrally flattened Body.

iii. Body cavity (coelom) absent (Acoelomate).

iv. Alimentary canal has one opening (mouth).

v. Bilaterally Symmetrical (When the organism can be divided into 2 equal halves along one plane only)
vi. Mostly Parasitic but few free living.

vii. They have suckers for attachment to the body of the host.

viii. They are hermaphrodites (Male and Female Reproductive organs are present in the same organism)

E.g.: Parasite form – Liver Fluke, Tapeworm and Free Living–Planarian.

D. PHYLUM NEMATODA/NEMATOHELMINTHES: (Roundworm)

i. Soft, cylindrical, unsegmented body.

ii. False Body cavity (Pseudo Coelom) Present.

iii. Alimentary with two openings-Mouth and Anus.

iv. Bilaterally Symmetrical.

v. Male and female organisms are separate.

E.g.: Ascaris, Wuchereria.

E. PHYLUM ANNELIDA:

i. Soft, segmented body.

ii. Body divided into ring like segments (Metameric Segmentation)(Each ring like segment called
Metamere).

iii. True body cavity is present (Coelomate).

iv. Body wall is Triploblastic and is bilaterally symmetrical.

v. Locomotary organ Setae or Parapodia.

vi. Alimentary canal opens at both ends: Mouth and Anus.

vii. Excretion occurs through Nephridia.

viii. Thick band of skin (Segment 14-16) called Clitellum which is used for reproduction.

ix. Male and female reproductive organs present in the same organism called Hermaphrodites.

E.g.: Earthworm.

F. PHYLUM ARTHROPODA:

i. Body divided into head, thorax and abdomen.

ii. Each segment bears a pair of jointed appendages for locomotion.

iii. Chitinous exoskeleton present undergoes periodic moulting.

iv. Bilaterally symmetrical, Triploblastic and segmented.

v. Circulatory system is open type.

vi. Have compound eye and Antennae.

Note: 75% of all animals belong to Arthropoda. E.g.: Cockroach, dragonfly, spider, ant.

G. PHYLUM MOLLUSCA:

i. Soft, segmented body with a hard calcareous shell.

ii. Muscular foot for locomotion.

iii. Gills for breathing (Ctenidia).

iv. Body is divided into head, foot and visceral mass.

v. The soft body is enclosed in a fold of skin called Mantle.

E.g.: Pila, Octopus.

H. PHYLUM ECHINODERMATA: (ECHINUS: SPINY, DERMA: SKIN)

i. Body surface is spiny.

ii. Body is radially symmetrical.

iii. Tube feet for locomotion, for catching prey.

iv. Exclusively marine animals.

v. Animals of this phylum do not have head.

vi. Well-developed water vascular system for trapping food.

E.g.: Starfish (Asterias sp.)

II. VERTEBRATES:

A. PHYLUM CORDATA:

i. Presence of Notochord at some stage of life cycle.

ii. Dorsal hollow nerve cord.

iii. Pharyngeal clefts present.

iv. Post anal tail.

B. SUBPHYLUM VERTEBRATA:

i. Notochord replaced by vertebral column.

ii. Body divisible head, trunk and two pair of each appendage.

iii. Pharyngeal cleft/gill slit present in larvae.

iv. Well-developed vertebral column and internal skeleton present.

C. CLASS PISCES: (FISH)

i. Heart two chambered.

ii. Breathe by means of gills.

iii. Body covered by scales.

iv. Locomotion by fins.

v. Completely aquatic life.

vi. Body is streamlined for swimming.

THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF FISHES:

CARTILIGINOUS FISH (CHONDRICTHYES) BONY FISH (OESTICHTHYES)

i. Endoskeleton made of cartilage. i. Endoskeleton made of bones.
ii. Gill slits without gill cover/Operculum. ii. Gill slits with gill cover/Operculum.
iii. Mouth is towards ventral side. iii. Mouth is terminal.
iv. Tail is Heterocercal. iv. Tail is Homocercal.
v. E.g.: Dogfish, Shark. v. E.g.: Rohu, Catla.

D. CLASS AMPHIBIA:

i. Heart is three-chambered.

ii. Smooth, non-scaly, moist and slimy skin.

iii. Two pairs of Pentadactyl (Five fingered) limbs for locomotion.

iv. Eardrum lies on the surface of the skin.

v. Larvae breathe by gills and adults by lungs.

vi. Cold blooded.

vii. Toes are without claws.

E.g.: Frog, toad, salamander.

E. CLASS REPTILIA:

i. Heart three-chambered in which ventricle is partially divided.

ii. Body is rough, dry with horny scales.

iii. Eardrum/Tympanum lies at the bottom of a tubular depression.

iv. Breathe by means of lungs from birth.

v. Eggs have a leathery shell.

vi. Toes with claws.

E.g.: Lizard, Snake, and Turtle (Note: Snake is a limbless reptile. Alligator is a reptile with four-
chambered heart)

F. CLASS AVES:

i. Heart four-chambered.

ii. Forelimbs modified into wings.

iii. Body covered with feathers.

iv. Eggs with a calcareous shell.

v. Have lungs for breathing.

vi. Jaws modified into beaks.

vii. Bones are light and porous called pneumatic bones adapted for flying.

viii. Warm-blooded.

E.g.: Pigeon, sparrow and Owl.

G. CLASS MAMALIA:

i. Give birth to young ones (Viviparous) (Except Australian spiny ant eater and Duck billed Platypus)

ii. Suckle young ones by mammary glands.

iii. External ears (Pinnae) present.

iv. Have hair on their skin.

v. Have four-chambered heart.

E.g.: Man, Elephant, and Tiger.

DEFINATIONS:
i. Prokaryotic: Organisms in which true nucleus is absent and nuclear material not enclosed in true
nuclear membrane.

ii. Eukaryotic: Organisms in which nucleus bounded by a true nuclear membrane.

iii. Autotrophs: Organisms which can prepare their own food.

iv. Heterotrophs: Organisms which depend on others for food.

v. Ostia: Minute pores on the body wall of poriferans.

vi. Osculum: Single large opening on the top for exit of water in Sycon.

vii. Nematocyst: Stinging cells located in the tentacles of hydra which help to catch the prey.

viii. Somersaulting: Looping movement of hydra for locomotion.

ix. Nocturnal: Organisms which avoid light and crawl up to the surface at night for feeding.

x. . Clitellum: Short cylindrical band of thick glandular skin which surrounds the body like a belt in
segments 14-16 of earthworm. Used for reproduction.

xi. Moulting: Casting off and regrowing of exoskeleton in earthworm.

xii. Notochord: Rod like structure present in the mid-dorsal axis of the body.

xiii. Poikilothermal or cold blooded: Those organisms whose temperature fluctuates directly with the
temperature of the environment.

xiv. Homeothermal/Warm Blooded: Organisms which maintain a constant temperature irrespective of

the external temperature.

xv. Oviparous: Those animals who lay eggs.

xvi. Viviparous: Those that give birth to their young ones.