Kingdom is a taxonomic rank in Biology which is considered to be the highest rank under the 5 Kingdom Classification System.
Kingdom Classification []
Kingdom Classification has been continously modified over the last two centuries, with different taxonomists putting different groups under it. Charles Linneus used a 2 Kingdom Classification System. Robert Whittaker later introduced a 5 Kingdom Classification. Woese introduced a Six Kingdom Classification, and recently in 2015 a Seven Kingdom Classification was introduced by Cavalier-Smith.
5 Kingdom Classification (Whittaker)[]
The five kingdoms introduced under Robert Whittaker (1969) were as follows:
- Monera (Prokaryotic, Unicellular, Hetero/Autotrophic)
- Protista (Eukaryotic, Unicellular, Hetero/Autotrophic)
- Fungi (Eukaryotic, Multicellular, Saprotrophic)
- Plantae (Eukaryotic, Multicellular, Autotrophic)
- Animalia (Eukaryotic, Multicellular, Heterotrophic)
In 1977, Carl Woese broke up Monera into Archaebacteria and Eubacteria.
7 Kingdom Classification[]
Modern 7 kingdom classification by Cavalier-Smith is as follows:
- Archaebacteria
- Eubacteria
- Protista
- Chromista
- Fungi
- Plantae
- Animalia
Notes[]
- Viruses have not been fitted into any kingdom as they only replicate inside a living "host" cell.