Five Kingdom Classification

In Linnaeus' (Father of Taxonomy) time a Two Kingdom system of classification with Plantae and Animalia kingdoms was developed that included all plants and animals respectively. This system was used till very recently. This system did not distinguish between the eukaryotes and prokaryotes, unicellular and multicellular organisms and photosynthetic (green algae) and non-photosynthetic (fungi) organisms.

R.H. Whittaker (1969), an American Taxonomist, classified all organisms into five kingdoms:

·        Monera

·        Protista

·        Fungi

·        Plantae

·        Animalia

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The main criteria for classification used by him include cell structure, thallus organisation, mode of nutrition, reproduction and phylogenetic relationships.

Characteristics of the Five Kingdoms:

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