The practice of classifying organisms based on shared characteristics is
known as biological categorization.
The two kingdoms of classification were proposed by Linnaeus, who
categorised species into the Animalia kingdom (animals) and the Plantae
kingdom (plants). Due to its inability to discriminate between eukaryotes
and prokaryotes, unicellular and multicellular creatures, and
photosynthetic and non-photosynthetic species, the classification of two
kingdoms has certain limitations.
Five Kingdoms Classification
It was RH Whittaker who proposed the five-kingdom system. These five
kingdoms are categorised as follows: Animalia, Plantae, Fungi, Protista,
and Monera. The thallus’s organisation, cell structure, feeding strategy,
evolutionary relationship, and mode of reproduction were the basis for
the classification.
Kingdom Monera
One of the primary components of Monera is the bacterium.
This kingdom contains both bacteria and blue-green algae, all of which
are prokaryotes. They can be found in extremely harsh environments like
deep oceans, snow, deserts, and hot springs. As prokaryotes without a
distinct nucleus, all monerans are. They can be parasites as well as
autotrophs and heterotrophs. There is a cell wall.
Archaebacteria
There are three types of archaebacteria: methanogenic (live in marshy
places), halophilic (survive in high salt concentrations), and
thermoacidophilic (live in hot springs).
Compared to other monerans, their cell wall structure is different.
Methanogens aid in the production of biogas from animal excrement and
are present in the intestines of several ruminants, including cows and
buffalo.
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Eubacteria
We refer to them as “true bacteria”. They are distinguished by having a
stiff cell wall and a movable flagellum. contains blue-green algae, or
cyanobacteria. Since they have chlorophyll a, they resemble plants. They
are referred to as photosynthetic autotrophs for this reason.
Cyanobacteria are filamentous, unicellular algae that grow into colonies
encased in a gelatinous sheath. Some have unique features called
heterocysts, which aid in the fixation of nitrogen in the environment. Take
Nostoc, for instance.
Chemosynthetic Autotrophs
Certain inorganic compounds, such as nitrites and nitrates, can be
oxidised by these bacteria. ATP is created using the energy that is
liberated during the oxidation process.
Asexual reproduction in bacteria is possible through a mechanism known
as binary fission. If conditions are unfavourable, they can also proliferate
through spores. Mycoplasma is included in the Monera category as well.
Since they lack a cell wall, they can thrive in anaerobic environments. The
smallest known living organism is Mycoplasmas.
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Kingdom Protista
Eukaryotes with a single cell that belongs to the kingdom Protista. Most
of them have an aquatic habitat. It is discovered that they are eukaryotic,
unicellular creatures. Their nucleus is identifiable and encircled by the
nuclear membrane. They can move via both flagella and cilia, breathe
both aerobically and anaerobically, and reproduce both sexually and
asexually.
They are separated into protozoans, euglenoids, dinoflagellates, slime
moulds, and chrysophytes.
Chrysophytes
It is made up of golden algae and diatoms. Both freshwater and saltwater
are home to them. Most of them are photosynthetic. Their unbreakable
cell wall is a result of the silica present in it, which also contributes to the
development of diatomaceous earth. They are the primary oceanic
producers. Most of them are flagellates with a single cell. They resemble
amoeboids.
Dinoflagellates
These organisms are marine and carry out photosynthesis. They may have
a variety of colours, such as blue, red, brown, or yellow. The presence of
various coloured pigments within the dinoflagellate cells is what gives the
illusion of colour. Cellulose makes up the cell wall. They have two flagella;
one is positioned transversely, and the other longitudinally. Among the
instances are Noctiluca scintillans and Gonyaulax catenella.
Euglenoids
Freshwater organisms known as euglenoids are found in stagnant water. A
layer known as a pellicle, which is rich in proteins, surrounds these
organisms. They can function as both autotrophic and heterotrophic
organisms, such as Euglena, and have one long and one short flagellum.
Chloroplasts are present in the majority of euglenoids so they can
produce their sustenance. The paramylon (carbohydrate) food stores are
present in euglenoids.
Slime moulds
They are saprophytic by nature, and in the right circumstances, they can
produce plasmodiums, which are aggregation.
They have real cell walls, are quite resistant to harsh environments, and
under poor circumstances, develop fruiting bodies with spores.
Protozoan like Protists
It is known that they are heterotrophs. They can exist as parasites and
predators. Four categories of protozoa exist:
Freshwater, moist soil, and saltwater are home to amoeboid protozoa,
which have pseudopodia that allow them to consume food particles like
those found in amoeba.
Flagellate protozoa can be classified as either parasitic or free-living.
Numerous parasitic illnesses are caused by this group of organisms.
Trypanosoma, for instance, is the cause of sleeping sickness.
Thousands of cilia are present in ciliated protozoa. They can travel
forward or backwards thanks to the cilia’s movement. It also facilitates the
intake of external food. Consider Paramecium.
Kingdom Fungi
Since fungi are naturally heterotrophic, some of them can feed on live
things, referred to as parasites, while others are saprophytes, meaning
they feed on dead organic matter. Lichens are fungi that have the ability
to coexist with other living things, including algae. We refer to these fungi
as symbionts.
Mycorrhiza is the symbiotic link between fungi and the roots of higher
plants, whereas lichens are the symbiotic relationship between fungi and
algae.
Fungi can reproduce in a variety of ways, including fission, fragmentation,
and budding. Conidia, zoospores, or sporangiospores are terms for spores
that are used in asexual reproduction.
Different spores called oospores, ascospores, and basidiospores are used
in sexual reproduction.
Phycomycetes, or lower fungi, reproduce asexually by producing motile
spores called zoospores and immobile spores called aplanospores. The
sporangium is where the spores are made. The gametes fuse to create the
zygospore. The mycelium is multicellular and coenocytic (has several
nuclei). For instance, Rhizopus, Albugo, and Mucor.
Ascomycetes, or SAC fungi, can live as parasites or saprophytes. Through
conidia, asexual reproduction can place. Ascospores are the means of
sexual reproduction; Ascomycetes, such as Penicillium, Aspergillus,
Claviceps, etc., have septate and branching mycelium.
Basidiomycetes (Club Fungi): The mechanism of fragmentation is used in
vegetative reproduction. There are no sexual organs. The basidium is
formed by plasmogamy between two vegetative or somatic cells. To
create four types of basidiospores, such as Agaricus (mushrooms),
Ustilago (fire rot), etc., the basidium goes through karyogamy and
meiosis.
Because deuteromycetes do not reproduce sexually at any point during
their life cycle, they are sometimes referred to as defective fungi. Through
conidia, sexual reproduction takes place. Some examples of septate and
branching mycelium are Alternaria, Trichoderma, and so on.
A fundamental class of fungus are called zygomycetes, or conjugation
fungi. Sporangiospores, which are non-motile, reproduce asexually.
Consider Rhizopus.
Kingdom Plantae
It encompasses all multicellular, photosynthetic, eukaryotic plants.
The following traits apply to members of the Plantae family:
Their nature is eukaryotic for the most part.
Its primary pigment is chlorophyll.
Cellulose makes up its cell wall.
Food synthesis is aided by photosynthesis.
Reproduction can occur through sexual or asexual means.
They stand for the phenomenon of haploid gametophytes and
diploid sporophytes, which alternate between generations.
Kingdom Animalia
These creatures belong to the eukaryotic and heterotrophic categories.
The following are a few traits shared by Animalia members:
They are different-sized multicellular creatures.
The skeletal system, circulatory system, respiratory system, and
other organ systems are all fully developed.
It is discovered that they have bilateral symmetry.
They have well-developed locomotor organs as well.
Breathing occurs through the skin, lungs, book gills, gills, etc.
membrane-bound cell organelles and a nuclear membrane are
enclosing the nucleus.
The heart, blood arteries, and blood itself are the three main
conduits for circulation.
Haploid gametes are formed during the process of reproduction. A
diploid zygote created by the union of the gametes splits to create
a new diploid creature.
The most significant excretory organ is the kidney.
Viruses
Since viruses are acellular structures, they are not included in Whittaker’s
taxonomy of the five kingdoms. They are made up of a protein coat that
envelops nucleic acid, which can either be DNA or RNA. These viruses are
limited to growing and replicating inside the host cells. Viruses reside
outside of their host cells as crystals. They seriously harm the host and
spread disease. For instance, the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
causes AIDS, variola causes smallpox, etc.
Viroids
They are made entirely of nucleic acid without a protein shell, making
them the tiniest known infectious structures.
Lichens
They are recognised as the symbiotic relationships between fungus and
algae. The algal constituents produce food through photosynthesis and
are autotrophic. The fungal component provides cover and safety.
