Five Kingdom Classification R.H Whittaker Short Notes

Five Kingdom Classification

• R.H Whittaker proposed the five kingdom classification in 1969.
• Organisms are divided into five major kingdoms.
• The Kingdoms are further classified into sub groups at various levels

Basis of classification

a) cell structure: prokaryotic and Eukaryotic 

b) organisms: Unicellular or multicellular 

c) Mode of nutrition: Plantae (autotrophs), Fungi (heterotrophs and saprobic  absorption, Animalia (heterotrophs and ingestion) 

d) Life style: Producers (Plantae), Consumers (Animalia), Decomposers (Fungi)

1. Kingdom Monera : 

• Bacteria, Cyano bacteria (Blue green algae) 
• Cell structure: Unicelled prokaryotes
• Nutrition: Absorptive or photosynthetic
• Movement: By flagella (tubulin)
• Reproduction: Asexual

2. Kingdom Protista : 

• (protozoans, Phytoplankton, Zooplankton )
• Cell structure :Unicelled eukaryotes
• Nutrition :Absorptive, photosynthetic
• Movement :By flagella, cilia, streaming
• Reproduction: Both asexual and sexual

3. Kingdom Fungi : 

• Yeasts(Unicellular) moulds, mushrooms. Multicelled eukaryotes
• Cell structure : Chitinous cell wall
• Nutrition : heterotrophic, Absorptive, Saprobic
• Movement : Non-motile
• Reproduction: Both asexual and sexual

4. Kingdom Plantae 

• (Algae, Bryophytes, ferns, gymnosperms, Multicelled eukaryotes)
• Cell structure: cellulosic cell wall, presence of plastids
• Nutrition : Autotrophic
• Movement : Non-motile
• Reproduction : Both asexual and sexual

5. Kingdom Animalia 

• (Sponges, Invertebrates, vertebrates ,Multicelled eukaryotes)
• Cell structure : without cell wall, and plastids
• Nutrition : Heterotrophic
• Movement : Highly motile
• Reproduction: Both asexual and sexual