Five Kingdom Classification

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Five KingÂdom ClasÂsiÂfiÂcaÂtion (R.H. WhitÂtakÂer — 1969)
- Key FeaÂtures:
- KingÂdoms: MonÂera, ProÂtista, FunÂgi, PlanÂtae, AniÂmalia.
- ClasÂsiÂfiÂcaÂtion criÂteÂria:
- Cell strucÂture (prokaryÂotÂic vs. eukaryÂotÂic)
- Body orgaÂniÂzaÂtion (uniÂcelÂluÂlar vs. mulÂtiÂcelÂluÂlar)
- Mode of nutriÂtion (autotrophÂic vs. hetÂerotrophÂic)
- ReproÂducÂtion
- PhyÂloÂgeÂnetÂic relaÂtionÂships (evoÂluÂtionÂary hisÂtoÂry)
- Why a new sysÂtem?
- LimÂiÂtaÂtions of oldÂer sysÂtems:
- Grouped prokaryÂotes (bacÂteÂria, blue-green algae) with eukaryÂotes.
- Mixed uniÂcelÂluÂlar and mulÂtiÂcelÂluÂlar organÂisms.
- DidÂn’t disÂtinÂguish between hetÂerotrophÂic funÂgi and autotrophÂic plants despite cell wall difÂferÂences (chitin in funÂgi, celÂluÂlose in plants).
- WhitÂtakÂer’s sysÂtem addressed these issues by:
- SepÂaÂratÂing prokaryÂotes into KingÂdom MonÂera.
- CreÂatÂing KingÂdom ProÂtista for uniÂcelÂluÂlar eukaryÂotes.
- RecÂogÂnizÂing funÂgi as a disÂtinct kingÂdom (FunÂgi).
- LimÂiÂtaÂtions of oldÂer sysÂtems:
- KingÂdom ProÂtista:
- A diverse kingÂdom includÂing organÂisms like:
- ChlamyÂdomonas and ChlorelÂla (preÂviÂousÂly clasÂsiÂfied as algae)
- ParaÂmeÂciÂum and AmoeÂba (preÂviÂousÂly clasÂsiÂfied as aniÂmals)
- This groupÂing reflects the change in clasÂsiÂfiÂcaÂtion criÂteÂria, emphaÂsizÂing cell strucÂture and mode of nutriÂtion over simÂple morÂpholÂoÂgy.
- A diverse kingÂdom includÂing organÂisms like:
- EvoÂluÂtion of ClasÂsiÂfiÂcaÂtion SysÂtems:
- ClasÂsiÂfiÂcaÂtion sysÂtems are not staÂtÂic; they change with improved underÂstandÂing of:
- OrganÂism charÂacÂterÂisÂtics
- EvoÂluÂtionÂary relaÂtionÂships
- ModÂern sysÂtems aim to be phyÂloÂgeÂnetÂic, reflectÂing evoÂluÂtionÂary hisÂtoÂry.
- ClasÂsiÂfiÂcaÂtion sysÂtems are not staÂtÂic; they change with improved underÂstandÂing of:
- Three-Domain SysÂtem:
- An alterÂnaÂtive sysÂtem that furÂther divides MonÂera into two domains.
- CreÂates a six-kingÂdom clasÂsiÂfiÂcaÂtion.
- Will be explored in highÂer classÂes.
- Note: This chapÂter focusÂes on MonÂera, ProÂtista, and FunÂgi. PlanÂtae and AniÂmalia will be covÂered sepÂaÂrateÂly.
- Table from NCERT
