Three Kingdoms Classification
Haeckel (1866), separated unicellular animals,
algae and fungi from other organisms on the basis of
lack of tissue differentiation. The new group was named
as Kingdom-protista. Later on
fungi were taken out
from the group so that kingdom protista may have only
unicellular organisms.
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Direction of Evolution
Table 2.4. Characteristics of Five Classification
Kingdoms
S.N Kingdoms
Characters Monera Protista Fungi Plantae Animalia
1. Cell type
Prokaryotic Eukaryotic Eukaryotic Eukaryotic Eukaryotic
2. Cell wall
Non-cellulosic Present in some forms| Present (Non- Present Absent
(Polysaccharide (various type) Cellulosic) (Cellulose)
+Amino acids)
3.
Chloroplast Absent Present in some forms Absent Present Absent
4.
Mitochondria Absent Present Present Present Present
5. Nuclear Absent Present Present Present Present
membrane
6. Tissue or Multi Absent Absent Present but Present in all Present in al
cellularity limited forms forms
7. Structure of Bacterial flagella, Cilia, flagella, amoe Cilia, flagella Cilia and fla- Cilia and fla-
motility gliding or non motile gella in lower
| boid, contractile fibrils | in some, none gella, contrac-
in most of the forms, absent tile fibrils
forms in most of the
forms
Mode of nutrition Autotrophic (chemo- Autotrophic (Photo-
synthetic and photo-
Heterotrophic, Autotrophic, Heterotrophic
synthetic) and hetero- (Saprophytic, Photosynthetic by ingestiyn
synthetic) and hete- trophic parasitic) by
rotrophic (saprophyte absorption
and parasite)
9. Reproduction/ Conjugation, trans Syngamy and meiosis,| Fertilization Fertilization Fertilization
means of Genetic | duction, transfor- conjugation or none and meiosis, and meiosis and meiosis
recombination mation or none dikaryosis or
none
10. Nervous System | Absent Primitive for conduc- Absent Absent Present, often
ting stimuli
complex
CLASSIFICATION OF ORGANISMS
Two Kingdoms Classification
The living organisms from the beginning have been
grouped into plants and animals. This is known as two
kingdoms classification. Carolus Linnaeus (1758)
named these kingdoms as Plantae and Animalia.
1. Kingdom Plantae. Kingdom Plantae includes
bacteria (prokaryotes), photosynthetic plants and non-
photosynthetic fungi. They are characterised by:
(i) Presence of cell wall.
(ii) Occurrence of inorganic crystals and central
vacuole in the celi.
(iii) Absorptive mode of nutrition.
(iv) Well defined growing points with unlimited
growth.
(u) Absence of sense organs, nervous system and
excretory organs.
(vi) Ability to manufacture food due to presence
of chlorophyll.
(vii) Reserve food as starch.
(viii) Absence of locomotion.
(ix) Presence of branches without definite shape.
2. Kingdom Animalia. Kingdom Animalia
includes unicellular protozoans and multicellular
animals or metazoans. They are characterised by:
(i) Absence of cell wall. cryptogamae and phanerogamae. Cryptogamae (G%
(ii) Absence of inorganic crystals and central kryptos-concealed, gamos-marriage) included seedless
vacuole in the cell. plants. It has three divisions-thallophyta,
(iii) Holozoic (ingestive) mode of nutrition. bryophyta and pteridophyta. Sub-kingdom.
(iv) 1-defined growing point with limited growth. phanerogamae (Gk. phaneros-visible, gamos-
marriage) includes one division of spermatophyta
(U) Presence of sense organs, nervous system and
(Gk. sperma-seed, phyton-plant) or seeded plants.
excretory organs. Spermatophytes are further divided into two sub-
(vi) Inability to manufacture food due to absence
of chlorophyll. divisions-gymnosperms (Gk. Gymno-naked, sperma
seeds) and angiosperms (Gk. angion-hidden, sperma
(vii) Reserve food as glycogen. seeds).
(vii) Presence of locomotion.
Angiosperms are also called flowering plants.
Thallophyta (Gk. thallos-undifferentiated, phyton-
(ix) Definite shape and absence of branches. plant) is further divided into sub-divisions-algae and
Later workers (Schimper, 1879 Eichler, 1883) fungi. Bacteria and viruses were considered parts of
divided plant kingdom into two
sub-kingdoms fungi.
Plantae (Schimper, 1879; Eichler, 1883)
Cryptogamae (Seedless plants) Phanerogamae (Seeded plants)
Spermatophyta
Thallophyta Bryophyta Pteridophyta
Gymnosperms Angiosperms
Algae Fungi