Biological Classification
Chapter 2 — Quick Revision Notes
1. INTRODUCTION
There have been many attempts to classify living organisms since the dawn of civilization. Aristotle was the earliest to attempt a more
scientific basis for classification. He used simple morphological characters to classify plants into trees, shrubs and herbs. He also
divided animals into two groups, with RBCs and without RBCs.
2. TWO KINGDOM CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM 3. FIVE KINGDOM CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM
• Given by Linnaeus. • Given by R.H. Whittaker.
• Organisms were divided into two kingdoms: Plantae and • All organisms were divided into five kingdoms: Monera,
Animalia. Protista, Fungi, Plantae and Animalia.
• Fungi were placed in a separate kingdom called Kingdom
Disadvantages: This system did not distinguish between Fungi.
eukaryotes and prokaryotes, unicellular and multicellular
organisms, & photosynthetic and non-photosynthetic organisms.
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE FIVE KINGDOMS
Characters Monera Protista Fungi Plantae Animalia
Cell type Prokaryotic Eukaryotic Eukaryotic Eukaryotic Eukaryotic
Cell wall Noncellular Present in some Present with chitin Present (cellulose) Absent
(Polysaccharide +
amino acid)
Nuclear membrane Absent Present Present Present Present
Body organisation Cellular Cellular Multicellular / loose Tissue / organ Tissue / organ / organ
tissue system
Mode of nutrition Autotrophic Autotrophic Heterotrophic Autotrophic Heterotrophic (Holozoic /
(chemosynthetic & (Photosynthetic) (Saprophytic / (Photosynthetic) Saprophytic etc.)
photosynthetic) and and Heterotrophic Parasitic)
Heterotrophic (saprop
hytic/parasitic)
4. KINGDOM MONERA
• Sole members of the kingdom are bacteria which occur almost everywhere.
• Many of them live in or on other organisms as parasites.
• They are grouped under four categories based on their shapes: spherical (Coccus), rod-shaped (Bacillus), comma-shaped
(Vibrio) and spiral-shaped (Spirillum).
ARCHAEBACTERIA EUBACTERIA or True Bacteria
• Are special bacteria since they live in some of the harsh Cyanobacteria (Blue green algae):
habitats such as extreme salty areas (halophiles), hot springs • May be unicellular, colonial or filamentous, fresh water/marine
(thermoacidophiles) and marshy areas (methanogens). or terrestrial.
• Have different cell wall structure than other bacteria. This • Have chlorophyll a similar to green plants.
feature is responsible for their survival in extreme conditions. • Are photosynthetic autotrophs.
• Methanogens produce methane and are found in the gut of Mycoplasma:
ruminant animals. • Smallest living known cells.
• Can survive without oxygen.
• Completely lack cell wall.
• Are pathogenic to both plants and animals.
• Earlier classification systems included bacteria, blue green • Bacteria are simple in structure but very complex in behaviour.
algae, fungi, mosses, ferns, gymnosperms and angiosperms • Show most extensive metabolic diversity.
under plants due to presence of cell wall. • Majority of bacteria are heterotrophic but can be photo- or
• Chlamydomonas and Spirogyra were placed under algae. chemoautotrophic.
• Kingdom Protista put together Chlamydomonas, Chlorella with • Chemosynthetic autotrophs oxidise various inorganic
Paramoecium and Amoeba. substances and play great role in recycling nutrients like
• Over time, an attempt has been made to evolve a classification nitrogen.
system which reflects not only morphological, physiological and • Heterotrophic bacteria: Majority are decomposers; helpful in
reproductive similarities but also phylogenetic (evolutionary making curd from milk, production of antibiotics, fixing nitrogen in
relationships). legumes etc.
• Some are parasites, cause diseases like cholera, typhoid,
tetanus, citrus canker etc.