Chapter13 - The world of life
G.I.S
Dinuja Pavalenthiran
BSc (Molecular biology and Biochemistry)
University of Colombo
Classification of organisms
Grouping of organisms into different levels based on their common characteristics is
known as classification.
Significance of classification of organisms – Text book
Methods of classification of organisms
Artificial classification Natural classification
Visible features such as the presence or absence morphological, physiological. cytological and
of locomotive appendages of organisms and molecular biological features are considered.
habitats are considered.
Explains the natural relationships among organisms
of the same species and the evolutionary
relationships among different organisms
Taxonomic classification of Human and closely related species
Three Domain system of classification
five kingdom classification - Robert Whittaker - 1969
Modern classification (three domains) - Carl Woese - 1990
Common ancestor
Domain Domain
Domain
Bacteria Eukarya
Archaea
Kingdom Kingdom Kingdom
Protista Fungi Plantae Kingdom Animalia
Seedless plants Non-flowering Invertebrates Invertebrates
plants
Seedless plants 1. Cnidaria / (1) Pisces
Coelenterata (2) Amphibia
Dicots Flowering 2. Annelida (3) Reptilia
plants 3. Mollusca (4) Aves
Monocots 4. Arthropoda (5) Mammalia
5.Echinodermata
Domain Archaea
• Prokaryotes (without an organized nucleus)
• Live in extreme environmental conditions - volcanoes, deserts, hot springs, ocean beds,
high saline environments and polar ice caps
• Not sensitive to most antibiotics (cannot be destroyed with antibiotics)
• Examples – Methanogens, Halophiles
Domain Bacteria
• Prokaryotes
• Sensitive to antibiotics
• Sometimes pathogenic
• Can be found every where in the environment
• The most abundant group of organisms
• Examples – Bacteria and Cyanobacteria
Figure -
Electron
microscopic
structure of a
typical
Bacterial cell
Harmful effects of Bacteria to human Useful effects of Bacteria to human
Cause diseases - Tuberculosis, Pneumonia, Separation of fibers from coconut husk,
Diarrhoea, Tetanus, Leprosy. agave leaves and to tan leather
Food spoilage Production of curd, yoghurt and cheese
Fix atmospheric nitrogen to increase soil
nitrate level
Decomposition
Virus
• First observed by a Russian scientist named D.J. Ivonouski
• possess both living and non living features.
• The only living feature of virus is the reproduction
• About 1/1000th of the size of a bacteria.
• Not considered as a cell.
• Composed of a nucleic acid (DNA or RNA) enclosed by a protein capsid.
• plant viral diseases - banana bunchy top disease and curly leaf of chilies.
• animal viral diseases are influenza, common cold, Dengue and AIDS.
Domain Eukarya
• Eukaryotic cellular organization (with an organized nucleus)
• Not sensitive to antibiotics.
• There are 4 kingdoms belong to this domain.
1. Kingdom Protista
2. Kingdom Fungi
3. Kingdom Plantae
4. Kingdom Animalia
Kingdom Protista
• Eukaryotic cellular organization
• Unicellular or multicellular
• No specialized tissues
• Mostly photosynthetic, Some are heterotrophic
• Live in environments associated with water
some useful and harmful effects of protists
Useful effects Harmful effects
Primary producers, in the food chains cause diseases to human -
of aquatic environments Amoebiosis, Malaria, Sleeping
mutualistic associations with fungi sickness
called lichens
To extract agar
To extract alginic acid
Kingdom Fungi
• Chitinous cell walls
• Eukaryotic cellular organization
• Unicellular or multicellular
• Decompose organic matter
• Form symbiotic associations
Useful effects of fungi Harmful effects of fungi
Supplementary for protein Cause diseases
Bread and alcohol fermentation Spoilage of food
Antibiotics
Decomposition
Activity 13.2 – observation of Mucor on a slice of bread.
Characteristics of species that belong to Domain Bacteria, Kingdoms of Protista and Fungi
01. Structure
Bacteria Protista Fungi
Unicellular Mostly unicellular Some are unicellular
Prokaryotes Some are some
Multicellular are multicellular
Eukaryotes Eukaryote
02. Nutrition
Bacteria Protista Fungi
Mostly Algae - All are
Heterotrophic Phototrophic heterotrophic
Cyanobacteria - Unicellular Protozoans (Saprophytic)
autotrophic - heterotrophic.
03. Shape
Bacteria Protista Fungi
04. Reproduction
Bacteria Protista Fungi
05. Distribution
Bacteria Protista Fungi
Air, water, soil and in the body of Marine, Freshwater, damp soil and Live on organic matter and living
organisms. Almost Everywhere. inside the body of Organisms body. Less in aquatic
environments.
Eg :- Bacteria, Eg :- Algae, unicellular animals
Cyanobacteria (Amoeba, Paramecium) :- Fungi
Common ancestor
Domain Domain
Domain
Bacteria Eukarya
Archaea
Kingdom Kingdom Kingdom
Protista Fungi Plantae Kingdom Animalia
Seedless plants Non-flowering Invertebrates Invertebrates
plants
Seedless plants 1. Cnidaria / (1) Pisces
Coelenterata (2) Amphibia
Dicots Flowering 2. Annelida (3) Reptilia
plants 3. Mollusca (4) Aves
Monocots 4. Arthropoda (5) Mammalia
5.Echinodermata
Kingdom Plantae
• Multicellular organisms
• Cells possess cell walls with cellulose
• Reproduce sexually and asexually
• Can be divided as given below
1. Non- flowering plants
2. Flowering plants
Non-flowering plants
• can not produce flowers
• can be divided into two groups according to the ability of producing seeds
1. Non-flowering, seedless plants
2. Non-flowering seed plants
Non- flowering seedless plants
Do not produce flowers and seeds
Features Special Facts
Structure Small to large size
Some plants lack a tissue differentiation – thallus
Some plants possess differentiated vascular tissues
Shape Thalloid body or small fern type
Nutrition All are autotrophic photosynthetic.
Some plants are epiphytes
Reproduction Asexual reproduction - spores and fragmentation
Perform sexual reproduction too.
Distribution Terrestial environments with low sunlight
shady and wet places
Non-flowering seed plants
seeds of these plants are not covered by a fruit
Gymnosperms - Seeds are naked
Examples :- Cycas, Pinus
Features Special Facts
Structure True tissue differentiation
Possess vascular tissues - Root, stem and leaves
Shape Large in size
Most of them are trees - Straight woody stems.
Some are shrubs.
Nutrition All are autotrophic photosynthetic.
Reproduction Sexual reproduction - seeds.
Asexual reproduction - spores.
Distribution Terrestial environments
Flowering plants
• Flowers - sexual reproductive structure of flowering plants
• Seeds - produced by flowers, covered by a fruit
• Angiosperms - covered seed plants
• Divided into two groups according to the number of cotyledons in the seed
(1) Monocotyledonae plants
(2) Dicotyledonae plants
Activity 13.3
Uproot a paddy or grass and a Kuppamenia/ Kupameni plants and wash their root system
carefully and list out their features.
Features of monocots and dicots
monocots dicots
A single cotyledon in the seed Two cotyledon in the seed
Stem is unbranched Stem is branched
No tap root. Possess a fibrous root system Root system with a tap root and lateral roots
Leaves possess a parallel venation Leaves possess a reticulate venation
Trimerous flowers Tetra or pentamerous flowers
No secondary growth Secondary growth takes place
The diameter of the stem is even The base of the stem is broad and tip is thin
E.g. - Paddy, Grass, Arecanut E.g. - Chillies, Jak, Blue lotus
Common ancestor
Domain Domain
Domain
Bacteria Eukarya
Archaea
Kingdom Kingdom Kingdom
Protista Fungi Plantae Kingdom Animalia
Seedless plants Non-flowering Invertebrates Invertebrates
plants
Seedless plants 1. Cnidaria / (1) Pisces
Coelenterata (2) Amphibia
Dicots Flowering 2. Annelida (3) Reptilia
plants 3. Mollusca (4) Aves
Monocots 4. Arthropoda (5) Mammalia
5.Echinodermata
Kingdom Animalia
Can be divided into two groups according to the presence or absence of a vertebral column.
1. Invertebrates - Cnidaria / Coelenterata, Annelida, Mollusca, Arthropoda, Echinodermata
2. Vertebrates – Pisces, Amphibia, Reptilia, Aves, Mammalia
Invertebrates
Cnidaria/Coelenterata
• Eg- Hydra, Sea anemone and Jellyfish
• All are aquatic - mostly marine and Few fresh water dwellers.
• Diploblastic organisms - Multicellular body build up of two germinal layers
• Coelenteron (cavity present within the body) - acts as the digestive tract
• Predators - Attack small organisms to paralyze them using Nematocyst
• 2 forms :- Medusa - can move , Polyp - attach to surface
• Asexual reproduction – budding, sexual reproduction
• Radial symmetry
Annelida
• Damp soil, marine and fresh water habitats
• Multicellular body – three germinal layers – triploblastic
• Slender, worm like body
• Segmentation internally and externally - segmented worms
• Bilateral symmetry
• Coelom - fluid filled cavity between body wall and the digestive tract -
provides an independent movement for the gut wall irrespective of the body
movements
• Asexual and sexual reproduction
• Eg - earthworm, leech, Nereis
Mollusca
• Soft bodied triploblastic organisms
• terrestrial, fresh water and marine habitats.
• Multicellular, Triploblastic, Soft bodied
• Body - head, muscular foot and visceral mass.
• No segmentation
• The body is moistened by mucous
• Internal and external shells made up of CaCO3
• Bilaterally symmetrical body
• Sexual reproduction - Most of them are unisexual (produce one type of
gamete)
Arthropoda
• highest number of species in the animal kingdom - 75% of the animal species
• class Insect - highest number of organisms (950,000 species )
• The organisms with jointed limbs – Insects (Bee, Butterfly, Cricket, Mosquito) ,
Spider, Scorpion, Millipede, Centipede, Prawn, Crab, Barnacle
• Features of Arthropods
• Marine, fresh water and terrestrial habitats.
• Triploblastic, coelomic and possess Jointed limbs.
• Arthropods.(Arthro=jointed, pods=legs)
• Body is segmented
• several segments collectively form functional segments -
Tagma (Head, Thorax, Abdomen).
• chitinous cuticle - exoskeleton.
• Some possess special wings.
• bilateral symmetry.
• separate female and male organisms – sexual dimorphism.
• sexual reproduction.
Echinodermata
• phylum that shows phylogenetic (evolutionary) relationship to phylum chordata.
• Eg - Starfish, Brittle star, Sea urchin, Sea cucumber, Sea lilly
• All are marine
• Heart, brain and eyes are absent
• They show sexual dimorphism and carryout sexual reproduction.
• Triploblastic. Coelomic. Body is separated into 5 radial arms.
• Body is star shaped, cylindrical or flower like.
• Sharp spiny body covering.
• A highly distributed water vascular system
• Tube feet present for locomotion and respiration.
• penta radial symmetry
Vertebrates
• An organism with a vertebral column - vertebrate.
• They show below features at any stage of their life cycle.
1. spinal chord
2. Ventral heart
3. post anal tail
4. gill slits
5. notochord
• They can be classified into five groups considering their structural features.
(1)Pisces
(2)Amphibia
(3) Reptilia
(4) Aves
(5) Mammalia
Pisces
Well adapted to live in water - Fresh water and marine environments
Features of fish
• Bony or a cartilage endo skeleton.
• Body is streamline shaped to swim in water.
• Body is covered by scales.
• Fins for swimming and balancing.
• Lateral line system to detect vibrations in water.
• Two chambered heart. Single atrium and a ventricle.
• Respiration - gills.
• Cold blooded animals. (body temperature changes according to the
environmental temperature)
• Eyes are without eye lids
Fishes can be divided into two classes considering the endoskeleton.
(1) Chondrichthyes - skeleton made up of cartilages - Shark, Skate
(2) Osteichthyes - skeleton made up of bones - Tilapia, Sea horse
Amphibia
• First organisms to invade land during evolution.
• Water is essential to complete the life cycle (an aquatic stage is present in the life cycle)
• Metamorphosis
• Thin mucous skin with glands. No scales on skin.
• Pentadactyle limbs - locomotion.
• Three chambered heart with two atria with a single ventricle.
• Respiration - lungs, moist skin and buccal cavity.
• They are cold blooded animals (poikilothermic)
Reptilia
• Well adapted to life on land
• Terrestrial, fresh water and marine ecosystems
• Dry skin without glands. Possess scales on skin.
• Pentadactyle limbs - locomotion.
• Heart with two atria and incompletely divided ventricle.
• Respiration - lungs.
• Cold-blooded animals (poikilothermic).
• Internal fertilization.
Aves
Light bony endoskeleton.
Streamlined body for flying.
Skin is covered by feathers. Scales are restricted only to legs.
No teeth.
Beak - adapted to different modes of nutrition is present.
They have eyes with eye lids. Sharp sight.
Pentadatyle - locomotion. Fore limbs are converted into wings.
Four chambered heart with two atria and two ventricles.
Warm-blooded animals (homoiothermic).
Body temperature is not changed according to environmental temperature
Mammalia
Animals that nourish young with milk
Skin is covered by hairs. Hair present inside hair follicles.
Possess Mammary glands, sweat glands and sebaceous glands (produce sebum)
Possess ear lobes (pinnae)
Four chambered heart with 2 atria and 2 ventricles.
Complete double circulation.
Biconcave red blood cells lacking a nucleus .
Warm blooded animals. (Homoiothermic)
Testes present outside the body.
Internal fertilization.
Possess a placenta and embryonic membranes
Nomenclature of organisms
common name - Different names are used to identify organisms (language, country
and region)
Evolutionary relationships are not depicted
Binomial nomenclature (Carolus Linnaeus - 1753)
contains two epithets for an organism
The methodology to name an organism is regulated by
International Commission on Botanical Nomenclature (ICBN)
International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN)
The standards of binomial nomenclature
Composed of two epithets.
First epithet is generic name and the second epithet is the specific epithet.
The species name is given in Latin or Greek.
The first letter of generic epithet is capital and the other letters are simple.
Hand written - should be underlined and printed should be italicized.
E.g. :- Mangifera indica
Few important scientific names
• Human - Homo sapiens
• Asian Elephant - Elephas maximus
• Jungle Fowl - Gallus lafayetti
• Asoka Pethiya - Puntius asoka
• Blue Lotus - Nymphaea stellata
• Na - Mesua nagassarium
• Coconut - Cocos nucifera
