DIVERSITY 1

7. Diversity in living organisms

Biodiversity :
It is the occurrence of diverse or varied form of living beings which differ
from one another in external appearance, size, colour, pattern, internal
structure, internal pattern, behavior, habitat, etc.
Needs for classification :
Classification is the arrangement of organisms into groups and subgroups
on the basis of their similarities and dissimilarities and placing them in a
hierarchy that brings out their relationships.
Taxonomy :
The science dealing with identification, nomenclature and classification of
organisms is called taxonomy.
What is the basis of classification :
1. Complexity of cell structure
a. Prokaryotic cell
b. Eukaryotic cell
2. Complexity of body structure :
a. Unicellular
b. Multicellular
3. Modes of nutrition :
a. Autotrophic
b. Heterotrophic
4. Life style
a. Producers
b. Consumers
c. Decomposers
Charles Darwin first described this idea of evolution in 1859 in his book, The
Origin of Species.

 ‘Primitive’ or ‘lower’ groups :

Some groups of organisms which have ancient body designs that have
not changed very much. Such groups are called ‘primitive’ or ‘lower’.
 ‘Advanced’ or ‘higher’ groups :
Some groups of organisms that have acquired their particular body
designs relatively recently. Such groups are called ‘advanced’ or ‘higher’
groups.
Hierarchy of classification :
A system of arranging taxonomic categories in a descending order on the
basis of their relative dimensions is called hierarchy of classification.

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Kingdom
Phylum (for animals) or division (for plants)
Class
Order
Family
Genus (Generic name) } scientific name
Species (Specific name)
(Similar to breed)
Species :
- A species includes all organisms that are similar enough to breed and
perpetuate.
 Scientific name:
Scientific Names of Some ANIMALS
i. Human- Homo sapiens
ii. Cat- Felis domestica
iii. Buffalo- Bos buffalis
iv. Cow- Bos indicus
v. Common crow- Corvus brachyrhynchos
vi. Frog- Rana tigrina
vii. Goat(domestic)- Capra hircus
viii. House wall lizard- Hemidactylus species
Scientific Name of Some PLANTS
i. Mango- Magnifera indica
ii. Neem- Azadirachta indica
iii. Banyan- Ficus bengalensis
iv. Shisham- Delbergia sisoo
v. Sunflower- Helianthus annuus
vi. Jamun- Syzyzium cuminii
 Conventions for writing scientific names:
I. First name of genus (generic name) begins with capital letter.
II. Second name of species (specific name) begins with small letter.
III. When printed, the scientific name is given in italics.
IV. When written by hand, the genus name and species name have to be
underlined separately.
Five kingdom classification :
- Robert Whittaker (1959) proposed five kingdom classifications:
a. Kingdom-Monera
b. Kingdom-Protista
c. Kingdom-Fungi
d. Kingdom-Plantae

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e. Kingdom-Animalia

Kingdom-Monera :
a) These organisms do not have a defined nucleus or cell organelles.
b) Some of them have cell walls while some do not.
c) The mode of nutrition of organisms of this group can be
autotrophic or heterotrophic.
d) The group Monera has been divided into two groups-
archaebacteria (or archaea) and eubacteria (or bacteria).
e) Some examples of Monera are- cyanobacteria or blue green
algae, bacteria and anabaena, etc.

Kingdom-Protista :
a) Unicellular eukaryotic organisms.
b) Some of these organisms use appendages, such as hair-like cilia or
whip-like flagella for moving around.
c) Their mode of nutrition can be autotrophic or heterotrophic.
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d) Some examples are unicellular algae, diatoms, protozoans.

Kingdom-Fungi :
a) Heterotrophic eukaryotic organisms.
b) They use decaying organic material as food and are therefore
called saprophytes.
c) Many of them have the capacity to become Multicellular
organisms at certain stages in their lives.
d) They have cell-walls made of a tough complex sugar called chitin.
e) Some fungal species live in permanent mutually dependent
relationships with blue-green algae (or cyanobacteria). Such
relationships are called symbiotic.
f) These symbiobic forms are called lichens. Lichens are the slow-
growing large coloured patches on the bark of trees.
g) Some examples of fungi are-yeast, mushrooms, aspergillus,
penicillium and agaricus, etc.

PLANTAE
Kingdom-Plantae :
a) These are Multicellular eukaryotes with cell walls.
b) They are autotrophs and use chlorophyll for photosynthesis.
c) Thus, all plants are included in this group.
 Subkingdom- Cryptogamae and Phanerogamae
1. In divisions (thallophytes, the bryophytes and the pteridophytes) have
naked embryos that are called spores.
2. The reproductive organs of plants of these divisions are hidden
(inconspicuous), they are therefore called Cryptogamae.

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Kingdom- Plantae
 Subkingdom- Cryptogamae
 Divisions: 1) Thallophyta
2) Bryophyta
3) Pteridophyta
 Subkingdom-Phanerogamae
 Divisions: 1) Gymnosperms
2) Angiosperms

o CRYPTOGAMAE
I. Division-Thallophyta :
a) Plants do not have well-differentiated body design.
b) The plants in this group are commonly known as algae.
c) These are predominantly aquatic.
d) Some examples are-spirogyra, ulothrix, cladophora, chara and
ulva, etc.

II. Division-Bryophyta :
a) These are called the amphibians of the plant kingdom.
b) The plant body is commonly differentiated to form stem and leaf-
like structures.
c) There is no specialised tissue for the conduction of water and
other substances from one part of the plant to another.
d) Some examples are-moss (funaria), marchantia, riccia.

III. Division-Pteridophyta:
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a) The plant body is differentiated into roots, stem and leaves and has
specialized vascular tissue for the conduction of water and other
substances from one part of the plant body to another (xylem and
phloem).
b) Examples are Marsilea, ferns and horse-tails.

o PHANEROGAMAE
- They consist of the embryo along with stored food, which serves for the
initial growth of the embryo during germination. Seeds are the result of the
reproductive process.
- Plants with well-differentiated reproductive tissues that make seeds, so
called Phanerogamae.
I. Division-Gymnosperm
a. GYMNO means naked SPERMA means seed
b. Plants bear naked seeds and usually perennial, evergreen and
woody.
c. E.g. pinus, cycas and deodar.

II.
Division-Angiosperm
a. ANGIO means covered SPERMA means seed
b. The seeds develop inside an organ which is modified to
become a fruit. These are also called flowering plants.
c. Plant embryos in seeds have structures called cotyledons.
d. Cotyledons are called seed leaves because they emerge and
become green when the seed germinates i.e. they represent a
pre-designed plant in the seed.
- They are divided into two groups :
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 Monocot:
a. These plants with seeds having a single cotyledon.
b. In these plants, parallel venation of leaf and fibrous root are
present.
c. Petals are 5 or multiple of 5 i.e. pentamerous.
d. E.g. maize, wheat, rice, paphiopedilum.

 Dicot:
a. Plants with seeds having two cotyledons are called dicots.
b. In these plants, reticulate venation of leaf and tap root are
present.
c. Petals are 3 or multiple of 3 i.e. trimerous
d. E.g. Ipomoea, mustard (brasscacompestris), pea, gram, beans
ANIMALIA
Kingdom-Animalia
I. Phylum-PORIFERA
a. They are commonly called sponges and mainly found in marine habitats.
b. These are non-motile animals attached to some solid support.
c. There are holes or pores all over the body.
d. These lead to a canal system that helps in circulating water throughout
the body to bring in food and oxygen.
e. These animals are covered with a hard outside layer or skeleton. The
body design involves very minimal differentiation and division into
tissues.
f. E.g. Euplectelea, sycon, spongilla, etc.

II. Phylum-COELENTERATE (CNIDARIA)

a. These are animals living in water. They show more body design
differentiation.

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b. There is a cavity in the body.

c. The body is made of two layers of cells: one makes up cells on the
outside of the body, and the other makes the inner lining of the body.
d. Some of these species live in colonies (corals, while other has a solitary
life-span (Hydra).
e. E.g. Hydra, Jellyfish and sea anemones.

III. Phylum-PLATYHELMINTHES
a. The body is bilaterally symmetrical.
b. Triploblastic (three layers of cells from which differentiated tissues can
be made) so outside and inside body linings and some organs to be
made.
c. No true internal body cavity or coelom.
d. The body is flattened dorsiventrally. (So called flatworm)
e. They are free living or parasitic.
f. E.g. planarians (free living), liver flukes (parasitic)

IV. Phylum-NEMATODA
a. The body is bilaterally symmetrical and triploblastic.
b. The body is cylindrical
c. There are tissues, a sort of body cavity or a pseudocoelom is present.
d. These are parasitic worms causing diseases, like filarial works which
cause elephantiasis.
e. E.g. ascaris, wuchereria, roundworm or pinworks (worms of intestine)

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V. Phylum-ANNELIDA
a. The body is bilaterally symmetrical and triploblastic.
b. The have true body cavity so true organs differentiation are in the body
structure.
c. There is differentiation occurs in a segmental fashion from head to tail.
d. These are found in fresh water, marine water, and land.
e. E.g. Earthwork, leech, nereis, etc.

VI. Phylum-ARTHROPODA
a. The body is bilaterally symmetrical and segmented.
b. There is an open circulatory system. (The blood does not flow in well-
defined blood vessels)
c. The coelomic cavity is blood-filled.
d. They have jointed legs.
e. E.g. prawns, butterflies, houseflies, spiders, scorpions and crabs, spider,
cockroach, centipede.

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VII. Phylum-MOLLUSCA
a. The body is bilaterally symmetrical.
b. The coelomic cavity is reduced. There is little segmentation.
c. They have an open circulatory system and kidney-like organs for
excretion.
d. There is a foot that is used for moving around.
e. E.g. snails, mussels, chiton, octopus, pila, unio.

VIII. Phylum-ECHINODERMATA
a. Echinos means hedgehog, and derma means skin. So this name.
b. These are triploblastic and have a coelomic cavity.
c. These are spiny skinned organisms.
d. They have a peculiar water-driven tube system that they use for moving
around.
e. They have hard calcium carbonate structures that they use as a skeleton.
f. They are free-living marine animals.
g. E.g. starfish, sea urchins, antedon, holothurian, echinus, asterias.

IX. Phylum-PROTOCHORDATA
a. They are bilaterally symmetrical and triploblastic.
b. They have a coelom.
c. They have notochord (a long rod-like support structure along the back of
the animal separating the nervous tissue from the gut) at some states
during their lives. It provides a place for muscles to attach for ease of
movement.
d. They are marine animals.

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e. E.g. Balanoglossus, Herdmania, Amphioxus.

X. Phylum-VERTEBRATA
a. They have a true vertebral column and internal skeleton, so have muscle
attachment to be used for movement.
b. They are bilaterally symmetrical and segmented, with complex of body
tissues.
 Have a notochord
 Have a dorsal nerve cord
 Are triploblastic
 Have paired gill pouches
 Are coelomate.
o They are grouped into five classes :
i. Class-PISCES (FISH)
a. They are aquatic animals.
b. The skin is covered with scales/plates.
c. They obtain oxygen dissolved in water by using gills.
d. The body is streamlined and a muscular tail is used for movement.
e. They are cold-blooded and their hearts have only two chambers.
f. They lay eggs (Except some like whale).
g. Some fish with skeletons made of cartilages, e.g. Sharks and some with
skeletons made of bone and cartilage. E.g. tuna, rohu.

ii. Class-AMPHIBIA
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a. They have mucus glands in the skin.

b. They have a three-chambered heart.
c. Respiration is through gills or lungs.
d. They lay eggs.
e. They are found in both water and land so called amphibian.
f. E.g. frog, toads and salamanders.

iii. Class-REPTILIA
a. They are cold-blooded.
b. They have scales and breathe through lungs.
c. They have three chambered heart, (except crocodile, they have four
heart chambers).
d. They lay eggs (with tough coverings) on land.
e. E.g. snake, turtles, lizards and crocodiles.

iv. Class-AVES
a. They are warm blooded animals.
b. They have four chambered heart.
c. They lay eggs.
d. They have outside covering of feathers, and their two forelimbs are
modified for flight.
e. They breathe through lungs.
f. E.g. all birds.

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v. Class-MAMMALIA
a. They are warm-blooded animals.
b. They are four chambered hearts.
c. They have mammary glands for the production of milk to nourish
their young.
d. Their skin has hairs, sweat and oil glands.
e. They produce live young ones (except platypus and echidna lay eggs
and kangaroos give birth to very poorly developed young ones)
f. E.g. dog, cat human, rat, bat, whale, human.

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