Question

State the merits of the Whittaker method of classification.

Answer 1

R.H Whittaker classified organisms into five kingdoms:

1. Kingdom Monera is made up of mostly prokaryotes (cells lacking well-defined cell walls and membrane-bound organelles)– Examples are bacteria, cyanobacteria
2. Kingdom Protista is composed of eukaryotic (cells with organelles with well-defined membrane organisms) that are not fungi, plants, and animals – Examples are protozoa, phytoplankton, and so on.
3. Kingdom Fungi is also composed of eukaryotic organisms including organisms such as yeasts, mushrooms, and so on.
4. Kingdom Plantae includes organisms that are phototrophic organisms such as Bryophytes, ferns, gymnosperms, and so on.
5. Kingdom Animalia includes all the animals – Examples are Sponges, invertebrates, and so on.

Merits of Whitaker's method of classification:

1. Unicellular and multicellular organisms are kept and categorized separately.
2. Fungi is a separate kingdom because of its mode of nutrition.
3. Autotrophic and heterotrophic modes of nutrition are placed in distinct groups.
4. Prokaryotes are unicellular organisms that are placed in Kingdom Monera.
5. It is more naturally segregated than classified under two kingdoms.