An overview of biological classification including two kingdom classification (by Carolus Linnaeus), two kingdom classification (by Aristotle) and five kingdom classification (by R. H. Whittaker) and short discussion on five kingdoms.

1. BIOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION
(an overview)
by Ratnodip Saha
Contact: ratnodeep2016@gmail.com

2. Topics:
 What is biological classification
 Evolution of biological classification
 Five kingdom classification
 Monera
 Protista
 Fungi
 Plantae
 Animalia

3.  What is Biological
classification?
It is a scientific
procedure, by which we
classify organisms to
different groups on the
basis of similarities of
various characters among
them.

4. Organisms
plants
herbs
Shrubs
trees
animals
Anaima (RBC
absent)
Enaima (RBC
present)
Aristotle
 Using simple morphological characters,
Aristotle classified organisms among animals &
plants.
 Plants were classified into herbs, shrubs &
trees.
 Animals were classified into anaima & eneima,
on the basis of absence & presence of RBC.

5. Organisms
Animalia
Plantae
Linnaeus
 Linnaeus classified organisms into animalia
& plantae.
 Classification criteria-
 cell wall
 locomotion
 mode of nutrition
 response to external stimuli
 contractile system

6. Organisms
Monera Protista Fungi Plantae Animalia
R. H.
Whittaker
At 1996, R. H. Whittaker proposed the
five kingdom classification of organisms-
monera, Protista, fungi, plantae &
animalia.
Classification criteria-
 cell structure
 thallus organization
 mode of nutrition
 reproduction
 phylogenetic relation

7.  Monera:
a) Unicellular organisms with a
prokaryotic cell
organization.
b) Nuclear membrane absent.
c) Autotrophic or
heterotrophic.
bacteria

8.  Protista:
a) Unicellular organisms with a
eukaryotic cell
organization.
b) Nucleus & other membrane
bound organelles present.
c) Autotrophic or
heterotrophic
amoeba

9.  Fungi:
a) Multicellular organisms
with eukaryotic cell
organisations.
b) Mainly heterotrophic.
fungi

10.  Plantae:
a) Multicellular organism with
eukaryotic cell organization.
b) Chlorophyll containing.
c) Mainly autotrophic.
d) Few members of plantae are
partially insectivorous &
parasite.

11.  Animalia:
a) Multicellular organisms with
eukaryotic cell organization.
b) Lack cell wall.
c) Directly or indirectly
dependent on plants for food.
That’s why heterotrophic.
d) Digest their food, the mode of
nutrition is holozoic.