Classification of living things

Monera Kingdom
Bacteria are placed in the kingdom Monera. Monerans are unicelular organisms
that consist of only one cell. A monerans cell does not have its hereditary material
enclosed in a nucleus, that structure that in other cells houses this important
material. In adition to a nucleus moneran cells lack many other structures fund in
other cells. Because of their unique characteristics, monerans are considered to be
very distantly related to other kingdoms.
Like other organisms, monerans can be placed into two categories based on how
they obtain energy.
Organism that obtain energy by making their own food are called autotrophs. Such
a name makes a lot of sense since the prefix auto-means self and the root Word
troph means food. Organism that cannot make their own food are called
heterotrophs. The prefix hetero- means other. Heterotrophs may eat autotrophs in
order to obtain food or they may eat other heterotrophs. But all heterotrophs
ultimately rely on autotrophs for food.
Scientists have evidence that monerans were the earliest life forms on Earth. They
first appeared about 3.5 billion years ago.
Characteristics

They are primitive organisms.

All organisms of the kingdom are prokaryotes.
They are present in both living and non-living environment.
They can survive in harsh and extreme climatic conditions like in hot
springs, acidic soils etc.
They are unicellular organisms.
Membrane bound nucleus is absent.
DNA is in double stranded form, suspended in the cytoplasm of the
organism,referred as nucleoid.
A rigid cell wall is present.
Membrane bound cellular organelles like mitochondria are absent.
Habitat - Monerans are found everywhere in hot springs, under ice, in deep
ocean floor, in deserts and on or inside the body of plants and animals.
Nutrition - autotrophs - can prepare their own food, heterotrophs - depend
on others for food, saprophytes - feed on dead and decaying matter,
parasitic - live on other host cells for survival and cause, symbiotic - in
mutual relation with other organisms, commensalism - it is where one
organism is benefited and the other is not affected, mutualism - where both
the organisms are benefited.

Respiration - respiration in these organisms vary, they may be obligate

aerobes - the organisms must have organisms for survival; obligate
anaerobes - the organisms cannot survive in the presence of oxygen;
facultative anaerobes - these organisms can survive with or without oxygen.
Circulation - is through diffusion.
Movement - is with the help of flagella.
Reproduction is mostly asexual, sexual reproduction is also seen. Asexual
reproduction is by binary fission, sexual reproduction is by conjugation,
transformation and transduction.

Classification
Kingdom Monera has been classified into two groups - Archaebacteria and
Eubacteria.
Archaebacteria are microbes that live in extreme and harsh conditions, they are
known as extremophiles. These bacteria lack cell wall, their cell membrane is
made up of different lipids, and their ribosomes are similar to that of eukaryotes.
Archaebacteria are of three major groups of bacteria based on their habitat i.e.,
thermophiles, halophiles and methanogens.

Some extremophiles live in boiling water like geysers of Yellowstone National Park
and and in volcanoes. These are known as 'thermophiles'.
Some extremophiles live in extremely salty water, the salt loving bacteria are
known as 'halophiles'.
Some bacteria are present in the guts of ruminants and are responsible for
production of methane gas from their dung. These bacteria are known as
'methanogens'.

Eubacteria are true bacteria. The characteristic feature is the presence of rigid cell
wall and if present a motile flagelllum that aids in locomotion. These organisms are
characterized based on their nutrition and their shapes.

Based on Shape
Bacteria can be classified in four groups based on shape : Spherical or round
shaped bacteria are called cocci, Rod-shaped are bacilli, Comma-shaped bacteria
are vibrio and spiral shaped bacteria are spirilla.
Based on Mode of Nutrition
Based on the mode of nutrition bacteria are broadly classified into Autotrophic and
Heterotrophic.
Autotrophic bacteria - Bacteria which prepare their own food are autotrophic.
(Example Cyanobacteria)
Heterotrophic bacteria - Bacteria which are dependent on other organisms for their
food are heterotrophic. (Example Escherichia coli).
Autotrophic bacteria can be Chemosynthetic or Photosynthetic.

Chemosynthetic bacteria are those which prepare their food with the help of
inorganic substrates. Photosynthetic bacteria are autotrophic bacteria which
prepare their own food by the process of photosynthesis.
Cyanobacteria (Blue-green algae) - They have chlorophyll similar to plants and
hence they are photosynthetic autotrophs. The marine and terrestrial and they may
be unicellular, colonial or filamentous. The colonies are surrounded by gelatinous
sheath. They can also fix atmospheric nitrogen.
Example: Nostoc and Anaebena.
Chemosynthetic autotrophs - these organisms oxidise substances like nitrites,
nitrates, ammonia etc. The help in recycling substances like nitrogen, sulphur, iron
etc.
Heterotrophic bacteria are those which are dependent on other organism either
directly or indirectly for their nutrition. They are most abundant and are important
decomposers. Some are helpful in curdling milk, production of antibiotics, in
nitrogen fixation and some are pathogens.

Heterotrophic bacteria can be parasitic and saprophytic. Parasitic bacteria are

those which depend on the host for nutrition and cause harm to the host.
Saprophytic bacteria feed on dead and decaying matter.
Symbiotic - it is a type where the bacteria are in mutual relation with other
organisms. Symbiosis is of two types mutualism and commensalism. Mutualism is
where the bacteria and the other organism are benefited due to the relationship.
Commensalism is a relationship where the bacteria is benefited while the other
organism is not affected by the relationship.
Based on Gram's staining
Gram's staining is a test on cell walls developed by Hans Christian Gram. This
method helps classifying bacteria into Gram positive bacteria and Gram negative
bacteria.
Gram Positive Bacteria - The bacteria's cell wall is made up of protein-sugar
complex that takes on purple color during gram staining.
c

Gram Negative Bacteria - The gram negative bacteria has an extra layer of lipid on
the outside of the cell wall and appear pink during the Gram staining procedure .

Fungi Kingdom
The kingdom of fungi is
multicellular (without
organisms.

composed of mostly
tissue) and heterotrophic

Mushrooms are one of the largest groups of living organisms that exist on our
planet.

The world`s wide variety of fungi make up the kingdom fungi. Most fungi are
multicelular organisms,or organisms that consist of many cells. Mushrooms are
fungi. So are the molds that sometimes grow on leftover foods that have remained
too long in the refrigerator.
Classification of Fungi

Mushrooms are mainly terrestrial and grow in damp and dark places. Your body is
generally composed of thin "wires" called hyphae.
Higher fungi: Higher fungi are grouped into two classes:
Ascomicetes
Basidiomicetes

Protists Kingdom
The kingdom protista includes most of the unicellular organism that have a
nucleus. The nucleus controls the function of the cell and also contain the cells
hereditary material. In addition, the cell of a protista has especial structures that
perform specific function for the cell.
A number of the protists are capable of animallike movement but also have some
distinctly plantlike characteristics. Specifically, they are Green in color and can of
light to make their own food from simple substances. As you can imagine, such
organisms are difficult, if not impossible, to classify using a two- kingdom
classification system. They are neither plants nor animal or perhaps they are both
plants and animals. These puzzling organisms are one of the reason scientists
finally decided to abandon the two-kingdom system. Protists were the first kind of
cell that contain a nucleus. Ancient types of protists that lived millions and millions
of year ago are probably the ancestor of fungi, plants, animals and modern protists.

Plant Kingdom
Plants form the kingdom plantae vegetable marrow. Most of them are autotrophic
multicellular. You will be very familiar with this kingdom, because it includes all the
plants you know: flowering plants, ferns, mosses and some algae and others.
Vegetables provide color, lushness and beauty to all regions where abound.But
vegetables are more than a decorative element, are essential for life
organisms.Thanks to its activity are atmospheric oxygen and all the nutrients we
need to perform vital functions.Despite this, currently, many plant species have
disappeared and continue.
Plants
The first living beings in the terrestrial environment
The plant originated about 500 million years ago from green algae that left the sea
and gradually adapted to terrestrial life.Despite not being able to move, the plants
have conquered most of existing natural ecosystems on Earth.

Characteristics of plants

Vegetables are multicellular beings who possess characteristics that set

them apart from other living beings:

They are fixed to the ground.
They are autotrophic.

Conducting vessels
Most, except mosses, have conducting vessels, ducts through which flows the sap.
There are two types of sap crude sap and elaborated sap.
All the conducting vessels form vascular tissues, xylem and phloem.
Groups of vegetables: Mosses and ferns

According conducting vessels owned or not, the plants are divided into two

groups:
Plants without conducting vessels: mosses.Conducting vessels plants: ferns
and seed plants.

1. Plants without conducting vessels: mosses

Characteristics of plants without conducting vessels

Mosses are small plants that do not have structures to stand straight.
Conducting vessels do not possess, or roots or stems or leaves; however,
some parts of the mosses (rhizoids, phyllodes, cauloides) perform similar

functions.
Mosses have alternating playback time reproduce sexually and asexually

below.
These vegetables are found in nearly all environments; however, they need
moisture to breed, so often found in shady places.

2. Plants with conducting vessels

Characteristics of plants with conducting vessels

The group of plants that have conducting vessels consists of ferns and seed

plants.
In addition to the xylem and phloem, this group of plants also has other

tissues that form the roots, petals and leaves.

2.1.
Ferns
Ferns live in warm, moist areas because, like mosses, need need
water to breed.In addition to conducting vessels, ferns possess true
roots, stems (when they are underground, rhizomes) and leaves
(fronds).Ferns perform a play alternating with a sexual phase and
another asexual.
2.2.

The seed plants. Gymnosperms

Another group of plants that possess conducting vessels of plants is
that reproduce by seeds.
In seed plants are two groups: those with unprotected seeds
(gymnosperms) and that are protected (angiosperms).

The seed of a plant is made by the embryo, the cotyledons (there may
be one or two) and protective covers that surround it.
When environmental conditions are right, the embryo starts its
development and protective covers are broken
2.2.1.

Gymnosperms

Gymnosperms are the group of oldest seed plants (cycads,

ginkos, conifers).
The name refers to gymnosperms seeds are unprotected, but
usually surrounded by a protective structure, such as pineapples

sprockets.
Conifers are the most abundant and best known group of
gymnosperms (pine, fir, cedar). They are evergreen plants,
although this does not mean that the road will never fall.
Conifers exist in almost all places on Earth, especially in colder
regions of the northern hemisphere.

2.2.2.

The seed plants. Angiosperms

Angiosperms are plants with seeds that are protected fruit.

They have showy flowers and colors.

These plants are very important for the economy (food,

medicines, textiles, dyes, spices, etc.).

Angiosperms are widely distributed: are found in deserts, high
mountains, in polar regions and on the lakes
Within these plants are two groups:

Monocots (one cotyledon), as lilies, cereals, etc.

Dicot (two cotyledons), such as beech, oak, etc.

Animal Kingdom
Animals are multicellular organisms that form the kingdom Animalia, I mean
animal. Like other multicellular organisms like plants and certain fungi, animals
have specialized tissues, and most have organs and organ systems. But unlike
plants they are heterotrophic.
Animals, unlike plants, are living beings that feed on other living beings (animals or
plants), are said to be heterotrophic, they are unable to manufacture their own
food, such as vegetables do through the process of photosynthesis, and they have
to look for other living beings. Moreover, like other living things, perform three vital
functions: nutrition, relationships and reproduction.
Vital Functions
A) Nutrition: it involves taking food and use it to grow, repair your body and
energy. Of full scale of the animal kingdom, we have developed different
systems to get food. So we can distinguish:
Herbivorous animals: those that feed on plants.
Carnivorous animals: those that eat other animals.
Omnivores: they feed on both plant and animal
Respiratory function is getting oxygen necessary for cell respiration and
expel carbon dioxide.
There are animals that can exchange gases through the skin (water or high
humidity animals) have cutaneous respiration (sponges, jellyfish, worms
terrestrial ...). Other aquatic animals breathe through gills called laminar
expansions (molluscs, crustaceans and fish). Land animals to stay hydrated

your skin covered with scales, hair, feathers ... and therefore can not
exchange gases through the skin. They need a system tracheas (insects) or
lungs (terrestrial vertebrates).
B) Relation: The ratio is the development of animal responses to a stimulus.
No living being can live oblivious to what is happening in the environment in
which they live.
The information transmitted are stimuli that can be grasped by the other
animals by a series of sensory receptors. This information is transferred to
the nervous system that not only record the signal but issue a proper
response developed by your muscles, glands or viscera act as effector
organs.
C) Reproduction: Reproduction is the formation of new individuals of the same
species.The animals have two possible types of reproduction, asexual
reproduction and sexual reproduction
Asexual reproduction: is a typical reproduction of unicellular algae, fungi and
plants, but few animals are the reproductive tract.
Sexual reproduction: Sexual reproduction is the most common mode of
reproduction made by the animals. It is characterized by the presence of
specialized cells.
Fertilization is the union of a sperm and an egg. Depending on where it is
made, it can be external or internal.
Depending on where embryonic development occurs, animals are classified
as:

Oviparous: animals that develop inside an egg.

Viviparous: animals that develop inside the mother

Classification of Animals
Invertebrates
Vertebrates
Animals without
Animals with an
internal skeleton but internal skeleton, or
may have an
endoskeleton. It
external or
may be of bone or
exoskeleton
cartilage tissue.
skeleton.
Dividing the body
Distinctive features
into three distinct
for each subgroup. regions: head, trunk
and extremities.
Tetrapods: two pairs
of limbs.
Development of a
nervous system.
Development of
organs

Invertebrates Animals
a.Porifera (sponges)
Sedentary aquatic animals, live fixed to the ground.
No true tissues and asymmetrical.
Body pierced by numerous pores connected by channels.
Exoskeleton consists of a substance called espongina.
They filter feeders.
Alternating sexual and asexual reproduction
b.Cnidarians (polyps, jellyfish, hydras)
Aquatic animals that live fixed to the ground, sedentary (polyps) or freeliving (jellyfish).
With radial symmetry.
Carnivores and carry a stinging substance that is itchy us on the
beaches.
Presence of tentacles which paralyze their prey.
Polyps develop external calcareous exoskeleton.
Alternating sexual and asexual reproduction.
Polyps may form colonies that can reach large areas: Coral reefs that are
rich and varied ecosystems.
c. Annelids (earthworms, marine worms, leeches)
Animals can be aquatic, terrestrial and even parasites.
With bilateral symmetry.
Soft body segmented into rings.
The gut with mouth and anus appears.
Gills or skin breathing.
Hermaphrodites, sexual reproduction. Oviparous.
d.Molluscs (mussels, snails, squid, octopus)
Animals that can be ground I water.
Soft body segmented not formed a head, visceral mass and a muscular
foot.
Fold or mantle in some groups generates a calcareous shell that acts as
exoskeleton.
Gills or skin breathing.
Sexual reproduction. Oviparous.
e.Arthropods (spiders, shrimp, centipedes, grasshoppers)
The largest group of living things, there are land, water and parasites.
Body segmented into head, thorax and abdomen.
Jointed appendages: legs. the number of legs is the criteria used to
classify.
Bilateral symmetry.
Exoskeleton that change periodically.
Sexual reproduction. Oviparous.

f. Echinoderms (starfish, sea urchins, sea cucumbers.)

Marinos. Calcareous plates, some species with thorns that act as
exoskeleton.
Radial symmetry.
Locomotion by a hydrostatic system called ambulacral system.
Sexual reproduction. Oviparous.

Vertebrate Animals
a. Fish:
Aquatic animals fusiform body covered with scales.

Tips converted into fins.

Cold-blooded animals.
Breathing through gills.
Swim bladder that allows them to swim between different waters.
Sexual Reproduction oviparous with external development.

b. Class Amphibians (frogs, toads, newts, salamanders)

Animals double life, no name, when young live in the water, adult
metamorphose and earth pass, in wet areas near water.
Naked body, or very thin skin.
Cold-blooded animals.
Breathing through gills in the larval stage and lungs and skin in
adulthood.
Sexual reproduction, internal fertilization, oviparous with external
development.
The first vertebrates to colonize the terrestrial environment, while still
depending on water.
c. Class Reptiles (snakes, turtles, lizards, crocodiles)
Terrestrial vertebrates.
Body covered with scales.
Cold-blooded animals.
Breathing lungs.
Sexual reproduction, internal fertilization, oviparous with eggs showing
development sheaths that protect and nourish the embryo and shell.
d. Class Aves (eagles, ducks, sparrows)
Animals flying.
Body covered with feathers.
Forelimbs modified for flight: wings.
Without teeth but peak.
Warm-blooded animals.
Breathing lungs.
Sexual reproduction, internal fertilization, oviparous with eggs showing
development sheaths that protect and nourish the embryo and shell.

e. Class Mammals (dolphin, horse, bat human species)

Animals terrestrial, aquatic and flying.
Body hair covered
Presence of mammary glands with which the young feeds ..
Warm-blooded animals.
Breathing lungs.
Carnivores, herbivores, omnivores.

 Sexual reproduction, internal fertilization, almost all viviparous, the new

animal develops inside the body, it is fed through a body called the
placenta, give birth to their pups already developed