Question

Use Whittaker method to classify bacteria, protozoa, fungi, algae, prokaryotic and eukaryotic microbes.

Answer 1

The characteristic features of each of the five kingdoms classified by Whittaker are:

Kingdom Monera:

1. Absence of a well-defined nucleus or membrane-bound organelles

2. Absence of multicellular body designs; all are unicellular

3. Presence or absence of a cell wall

4. Autotrophic or heterotrophic mode of nutrition

Kingdom Protista:

1. They are unicellular, eukaryotic organisms.

2. They can be autotrophic or heterotrophic.

3. Some members have cilia or flagella, which helps in locomotion.

Kingdom Fungi:

1. They may be unicellular or multicellular, eukaryotic organisms.

2. Their body consists of mycelium, which is made up of multicellular filamentous hyphae.

3. Their cell walls are made up of tough, complex sugar called chitin.

4. They are saprophytes, which feed on dead organic material.

Kingdom Plantae:

1. They are multicellular, eukaryotic organisms.

2. Cell wall is made up of cellulose and not chitin unlike that of fungi.

3. Most plant cells contain chlorophyll pigments. Hence, they are autotrophic.

4. They are non-motile.

Kingdom Animalia:

1. They are multicellular eukaryotes.

2. Cell wall is absent in them.

3. Chloroplast is absent in animal cells. Hence, they have a heterotrophic mode of nutrition.