Nowadays, Scientists Classify living things into five mane groups called kingdoms. these kingdoms are named as monera, Protista, Fungi, Animalia, and Plantae. multicellular and motile to move are common characteristics of the 5 kingdoms. examples of living things that belong to these kingdoms are as under:
Kingdom Example
Monera Bacteria
Protista Algae
Fungi Yeast, mushrooms, etc.
Animalia Animals
Plantae Plants
Living organisms were previously classified into two kingdoms:
The plant kingdom includes bacteria, fungi, algae, and plants.
The animal kingdom includes single-cell priorities and cell-free animals.
Some biologists did not agree with the classification of fungi like bread mold, yeast, and mushrooms. Fungi resemble plants in many ways.
But fungi are heterotrophs. They decompose the surrounding material and absorb food. This food is used for obtaining energy and for structural material. Their cell wall contains a major structural component called chitin.
So the fungi were given the status of a separate kingdom. The taxonomic system continued for many years, during which attempts were made to add a third kingdom, until 1969, when the world developed a taxonomic system that adopted the existence of five kingdoms of living organisms, the system in force today.
Each of the five kingdoms represents a group of objects Living which has common characteristics. The general characteristics of the five-kingdom classification system are as follows:
It includes prokaryotic organisms i.e. they are made of prokaryotic cells. Monerans are unicellular, although some types form chains or colonies of cells. Prokaryotic cells are radically different from eukaryotic cells. Most are heterotrophic but some perform photosynthesis because they have chlorophyll in their cytoplasm. Within this kingdom, there are two different kinds of organisms i.e. bacteria and cyanobacteria.
It includes eukaryotic unicellular and simple multicellular organisms. There are three main types of protists.
It includes eukaryotic multicellular heterotrophs that are absorptive in their nutritional mode e.g. mushrooms. Most fungi are decomposers. They live on organic materials, secrete digestive enzymes, and absorb small organic molecules formed by the digestion of enzymes.
It includes eukaryotic multicellular autotrophs. Plants are autotrophic in nutritional mode, making their own food by photosynthesis. They have multicellular sex organs and form embryos during their life cycles. Mosses, ferns, and flowering plants are included in this kingdom.
It includes eukaryotic multicellular consumers. Animals live mostly by ingesting food and digesting it within specialized cavities. They lack a cell wall and shown movements.
A biologist believes that the kingdom Protista evolved from monera and then it gave rise to the other 3 eukaryotic kingdoms i.e. fungi, Plantae, and Animalia (animals).
Prions are composed of protein only and Viroids are composed of circular RNA only. Both of these particles cause infectious diseases in certain plants. |
Viruses are at the borderline of living and nonliving. Due to their crystalline nature, they are considered non-living. They are acellular i.e. they do not have cellular organization yet show some characters of living organisms (e.g. they possess DNA).
Viruses contain either RNA or DNA, normally encased in a protein coat. They reproduce only in living cells, where they cause a number of diseases. They are not considered as organisms and thus are not included in the five-kingdom classification system.
Prion and Viroids are also acellular particles and are not included in the five-kingdom classification system.
The five-kingdom system was proposed by Robert Whittaker in 1969. It is a recent system of classification. This system of classification is based on two principles:
There are following five kingdoms and characteristics of the 5 kingdoms:
It contains all the prokaryotic unicellular organisms. It includes bacteria and blue-green algae.
These are eukaryotes. All the organisms which do not come in the definition of plants, animals, or fungi are included in this kingdom. Most of the protists are unicellular like Euglena and Amoeba.
But this kingdom also contains relatively simple multicellular organisms. These simple multicellular organisms have been directly derived from the unicellular protists.
All the eukaryotic multicellular autotrophs are included in this kingdom. Plants are autotrophs. They synthesize their own food by photosynthesis. It includes mosses, ferns, and flowering plants.
These are eukaryotic multicellular reducers. Fungi are heterotrophic organisms. They have an absorptive mode of nutrition. Most of the fungi are decomposers. They live on organic material. They secrete (t/L) digestive enzymes. These enzymes break the organic matter into small organic molecules. Fungi absorb these organic molecules.
It includes all the eukaryotic multicellular consumers. Animals mostly ingest and digest foods in the specialized cavities. They lack a cell wall and cellulose. They show movements. For example birds, reptiles from characteristics of the 5 kingdoms.
In this section, the Five Kingdom System of Robert Whittaker is followed. In this system:
All the biologists agree that the animals have evolved from protoctists (protists). But it is not known to form which protists they have evolved.
The animals in kingdom Animalia show advanced multicellular structures. Their cells are joined by complex junctions. So the communication and flow of material take place between the cells. These animals have a different size.
Some are microscopic and their size is smaller than many protists. Some have large size like the whale. A whale is a sea mammal and it is the largest animal.
There are two are sub-kingdoms of kingdom Animalia:
These animals lack tissues organized into organs. They have an indeterminate (irregular) shape. So they are asymmetrical (without any shape)
All animals of other multicellular phyla are included in this group.
These animals have tissues organized into organs and organ systems. This sub-kingdom is divided into two groups on the basis of their symmetry
(i) Radiata: The animals with radial symmetry are included in this group they have a simple organization. The phylum Cnidaria belongs to this group.
(ii) Bilateria: They have bilateral symmetry. Most of the phyla belong to this group. These animals are divided into three groups on the basis of the coelom or body cavity.
The larvae of the Echinoderms have bilateral symmetry. However, the adult echinoderms have secondarily developed radial symmetry due to their special mode of life.
Lynn Margulis and Karlene Schwartz in 1988 gave a modified 5 kingdom system of classification. They modified the basis of the classification of Whittaker. Their classification is based on:
These five kingdoms are:
It includes unicellular prokaryotic organism e.g. Bacteria and Cyanobacteria.
It includes all unicellular, eukaryotic organisms, which are no longer classified as animals, Plants, or Fungi e.g. Euglena, Paramecium, Chlamydomonas Plasmodium.
It includes multicellular, eukaryotic non chlorophyllous organism e.g. Agaricus, Yeast.
It includes all multicellular, eukaryotic, achlorophyllous, Photosynthetic autotrophs having a cell wall made up of cellulose, Zygote retained to become embryo arid exhibiting heteromorphic alternation of generation e.g. Moss, Fern, Pinus, and Apple.
It includes all multicellular eukaryotic, non chlorophyllous ingestive heterophils e.g. Hydra, Earthworm, and Human.
Conclusion:
hopefully, you have got enough knowledge about the characteristics of the 5 kingdoms.
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