Five kingdom system

The five kingdom system is the most common way of grouping living things based on simple
distinctive characteristics. Classification systems are always changing as new information is made
available. Modern technologies such as Genetics makes it possible to unravel evolutionary
relationships to greater and greater detail. The five-kingdom system was developed by Robert H.
Whittaker in 1969 and was built on the work of previous biologists such as Carolus Linnaeus.

Living things can be classified into five major kingdoms:

 Kingdom Animalia
 Kingdom Plantae
 Kingdom Fungi
 Kingdom Protista
 Kingdom Monera (Bacteria)
We will now identify the main distinctive features of each kingdom:

Kingdom Monera 

The Kingdom Monera consists of prokaryotic, unicellular organisms. No nuclear membrane or

membrane-bound organelles such as chloroplasts, Golgi complex, mitochondria or endoplasmic
reticulum are present. Monera have a cell wall of protein plus polysaccharide compound, but not
cellulose. They reproduce asexually by binary fission. Important examples of Monera include
Archaea and Bacteria.

Mycobacterium bacteria that causes

Tuberculosis. Staphylococcus aureus bacteria can cause
skin infections, sinusitis and food poisoning.
Kingdom Protista 

Protista are eukaryotic and can be unicellular or simple multicellular. They reproduce sexually or
asexually. Important examples of protists include the organism known as Plasmodium (which
causes malaria), Amoeba and Euglena. There are two major groups of protists which include the
Protozoans, whose cells are similar to animal cells in that they do not have cell walls and the
plant-like cells which do have cell walls and are similar to algae.

Euglena an example of a protist. Diatoms from Antarctic sea ice.

Kingdom Fungi 

Fungi are eukaryotic organisms that can be multicellular or unicellular. Mushrooms and moulds
are examples of multicellular fungi and yeast is an example of a unicellular fungi. All fungi have a
cell wall made of chitin. They are non-motile (not capable of movement) and consist of threads
called hyphae. Fungi are heterotrophic organisms which means they require organic compounds
of carbon and nitrogen for nourishment. They are important as decomposers (saprophytes) and
can be parasitic. They store carbon as glycogen, not in the form of starch. Fungi reproduce
sexually and asexually by spore formation. An important example of a useful fungus
is Penicillium (a fungus which was used to make penicillin, one of the most powerful antibiotics
ever created).

Examples of fungi.
Mushrooms are examples of fungi.
Kingdom Plantae

Organisms belonging to the plant kingdom are eukaryotic and multicellular organisms. They have
a distinct cell wall made of cellulose. Cells are organised into true plant tissues. Plants contain
plastids and photosynthetic pigments such as chlorophyll. They are non-motile. Plants make their
own food by photosynthesis and are therefore said to be autotrophic. Plants undergo both sexual
and asexual reproduction. They store food as starch. Important examples of plants are mosses,
ferns, conifers and flowering plants.

Examples of plant variety

Kingdom Animalia 

Members of the animal kingdom are eukaryotic and multicellular but have no cell wall or
photosynthetic pigments. They are mostly motile and they are heterotrophic, which means they
must feed on other organisms and cannot make their own food. They reproduce sexually or
asexually. Animals store carbon as glycogen and fat. Important examples of this kingdom include:
Porifera (sponges), Cnidaria (jellyfish), Nematoda (nematode worms), Platyhelminthes
(flatworms), Annelidas (segmented worms), Mollusca (Snails and Squid), Echinodermata
(starfish), Arthropoda (Insects and Crustaceans), Chordata (includes all the vertebrates: fish,
amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals).

Examples of animal variety:

Animal Phyla

Platyhelminthes:A marine
Porifera:A variety of sea
Cnidaria:A jellyfish. flatworm, Pseudobiceros
sponges in the Caribbean Sea.
gloriosus.

Arthropoda:An example of an
Echinodermata: A variety of insect, the Festive Tiger
Mollusca: An octopus.
starfish. beetle.