Question

Give a brief account on the five kingdom classification?

Answer 1

In 1969 Robert Whittaker proposed a "five kingdom" system in which three kingdoms were added to the animals and plants: Monera (bacteria), Protista, and Fungi. Whittaker defined the kingdoms by a number of special characteristics.

• He specified whether the organisms possessed a true nucleus (eukaryotic) or not (prokaryotic). The eukaryotic unicellular organisms were placed into the kingdom 'Protista'.

• The rest three were distinguished by the general manner in which they acquired food. Plants are generally autotrophs, Animals are heterotrophs and Fungi are also heterotrophs but, unlike animals, they generally break down large organic molecules in their environment and live on them.