Biological Classification
SHORT NOTES
Table 1: Characteristics of Five Kingdoms proposed by Whittaker (1969)
Five Kingdoms
Characters
Monera Protista Fungi Plantae Animalia
Cell type Prokaryotic Eukaryotic Eukaryotic Eukaryotic Eukaryotic
Cell wall Noncellulosic (Polysaccharide Present in some Present with chitin Present (cellulose) Absent
+ amino acid)
Nuclear membrane Absent Present Present Present Present
Body organisation Cellular Cellular Multicellular/ Tissue/organ Tissue/organ/
loose tissue organ system
Mode of nutrition Autotrophic (Chemosynthetic Autotrophic Heterotrophic Autotrophic Heterotrophic
and photosynthetic) and (Photosynthetic) (Saprophytic/ (Photosyn-thetic) (Holozoic/
Heterotrophic (sapro-phytic/ and Hetero- Parasitic) Saprophytic etc.)
parasitic) trophic
Kingdom Monera Archaebacteria
Has bacteria a sole member. Halophiles (salt-loving)
Bacteria can have shapes like: Coccus (sphere cal). Bacillus (rod- Thermoacidophiles (in hot springs)
shaped). Vibrio (comma shaped) and sprillum (spiral shaped) Methonogens (in marsh and in gut of ruminant animals
Bacteria found almost everywhere and can he Photosynthetic produce methane gas.)
autotrophs, Chemosynthetic autotrophs or Heterotrophs.
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Eubacteria (iii) Euglenoids: Have protein rich layer 'pellicle' which makes
Photosynthetic autotrophs like Cyanobacteria. some like
body flexible. Photsynthetic in presence of sunlight but become
Anabaena have specialised cells called heterocysts for heterotrophs if they do not get sunlight.
nitrogen fixation. (iv) Slime Moulds: Saprophytic protists form aggregates to form
Chemosynthetic autotrophs: Oxidise various inorganic plasmodium grows on decaying twigs and leaves. Spores have
substances like nitrates/nitrites, ammonia and use released true walls which are extremely resistant and survive form many
energy for their ATP production. years.
Heterotrophic bacteria: decomposes, help in making curd, (v) Protozonans:
production of antibio tics, N2 fixation, cause diseases like Amocboid: Catch prey using pseudopdia, e.g., Amoeba.
cholera, typhoid. Flagellated: More flagella. Cause disease like sleeping
Mycoplasma: Completely lack cell wall. smallest living cells. sickness e.g., Trypanosoma.
Can survive without oxygen. Pathogenic in animals and plants.
Ciliated: Have cilia to move food into gullet and help in
Kingdom Prostita: (All single celled eukaryotes) locomation. e.g., Paramecium.
Forms a link between plants, animals and fungi. Sprozonans: Have infective spore like stage in life cycle,
(i) Chrysophytes: (Has diatoms and golden algae) e.g., Plasmodium which causes
Cell walls have silica and cell walls overlap to fit together Kingdom Fungi
like a soap box. Non chlorophyllous hyphae
Their accumulation forms 'Diatomaceous Earth'. Network of hyphane called mycelium
Used in polishing, filtration of oils and syrups. Cell wall of chitin and polysaccharides
(ii) Dinoflagellates: Marine, photosynthetic, cell wall has Grow in warm and humid places
cellulose. Two flagella "one longitudinal and other transversely in Saprophytic, parasitic, symbiotic (Lichen) e.g., Puccinia
a furrow between wall plates. (rust causing), Penicillium.
Table 2: Characteristics of Four Classes of fungi
Classes Typical Examples Sexual Reproduction Asexual Reproduction Hyphae
Phycomyeetes Rhizopus, Mucor, Albugo Zygospores Zoopores (motile) Aseptate and
Aplanospores (non-motile) Coenocytic
Ascomyeetes (Sac Penicillium (multicellualr), Ascospores produced Conidia produced on Branched and septate
fungi) yeast (unicellualr), Aspergillus, endogenously in sac conidiophore
Claviceps, Neurospora, morels like asci
and truffles (buffles)
Basidiomyeetes Mushrooms (Agaricus) smut Basidiospores Generally asexual spores Branched and septate
(Club fungi) (Ustilago), Rust (Puccinia) produce exogenously are not found bu reproduce
Bracket fungi or Puff balls. on the basidium vegetatively by fragmentation
Deuteromyeetes Alternaria, Colletotrichum. Sexual phase has not Conidia Branched and
(Imperfect fungi) Trichoderma been observed Septate
Classes of Fungi Sexual spores are called ascspores produced endog enously
(i) Phycomycetes: in ascus produced inside fruiting body called ascocarp. e.g.,
Aspergillus, Neurospora.
Grow on decaying wood
(iii) Basidiomycetes:
Mycelium Aseptate
Mycelium septate.
spores produced endgogenously
The asexual spores are generally not found but vegetative
Asexual reproduction by Zoospores of Aplanospores e.g.,
Rhizopus, Albugo. reproduction by fragmentation is common.
(ii) Ascomycetes: The basidiospores are exogenously produced on the basidium
(pl.:basidial).
Also known as 'sac fungi'
The basidia are arranged in fruiting bodies called basidiocarps.
Mycelium branched and septate
Some common members are Agaricus (mushroom), Ustilago
Spores: Asexual spres are called conidia produced
(smut) and Puccinia (rust fungus).
exogenously on the conidiophores.
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(iv) Deuteromycetes: Structure of Virus
Called as 'Fungi imperfecti' as sexual form(perfect stage) is Its a nucleoprotein Covered by protein called Capsid. Capsid
not known for them. is made up of capsomeres arranged in helical or polygeometric
Once perfect (sexual) stages of members of dueteromycetes forms.
were discovered they were often moved to ascomycetes and Have either DNA or RNA as genetic material which may be
basidiomycetes. single or double stranded.
Usually plant viruses have single stranded RNA
The deuteromycetes reproduce only by asexual spores known
Bacteriophages have double stranded DNA and animal virus
as conidia.
have single or double stranded RNA or double stranded DNA.
The mycelium is septate and branched.
Diseases caused: Mumps, Small pox, AIDA etc.
Some members are saprophytes or parasites while a large
Viroids
number of them are decomposers of litter and help in mineral
Infectious agent, free RNA (lack protein coat) of low
cycling. molecular weight
Some examples are Alternaria, Colletotrichum and Trichoderma. Causes potato spindle tuber disease.
Discovered by T.O. Diener.
Viruses
Prions
They did not find a place i classification. Take over the machinery
They consist of abnormally folded protein without genetic
of host cell on entering it but as such they have inert crystalline
material.
structure. So, difficult it call them living or non-living.
They cause mad cow disease in cattle and
Pasteur gave the term 'Virus' i.e., poisonous fluid. Cr–Jacob disease (CJD) in humans.
D.J. Ivanowsky found out that certain microbes cause Lichens
M.W. Beijerinek called fluid as 'Contagium vivum fluidum' Symbiotic association between algal component (Phycobiont)
as extracts of infected plants of tobacco could cause infection and fungal component (mycobiont). Algae provide food.
in healthy plants. Fungi provide shelter and absorb nutrients for alga.
W.M. Stanely showed viruses could be arystalli sed to Good pollution indicators as they do not grow in polluted area.
form cry stals of protein which are inert outside their Mycorrhiza: Symbiotic association between fungi and roots of
specific host. higher plants.