Biological Classification - Part I

Introduction to Biological Classification

Arrangement of organisms in hierarchical series
Biological Classification based on similarities & dissimilarities
Need for Biological Classification Levels of Classification
• Study of 1 or 2 organisms is not enough to know Domain

vital features of a group. Kingdom

• All kinds of organisms do not occur in one Phylum

locality. Class
Number of
• Helps in knowing the relationship between the organisms &
Order
specificity
different groups of organisms. Family

• Helps in knowing the evolutionary relationship Genus

between organisms. Species

First Attempt of Classification Biological Classification

PLANTAE ANIMALIA
(Multicellular, FUNGI
(Multicellular,
eukaryotic) (Multicellular,
Plants Animals eukaryotic)
eukaryotic)

PROTISTA
(Eukaryotic, Unicellular
Aristotle and Multicellular)

EUBACTERIA ARCHAEBRACTERIA
(Unicellular, prokaryotic) (Unicellular, prokaryotic)

Herb Shrub Tree Enaima Anaima Viruses & viroids don’t fit in any category

Key Features of Systems Types of Classification System

Given by Linnaeus in 1758
Classified organisms into 2 kingdoms 2 Kingdom • Plantae
• Animalia
Given by Ernst & Haeckel in 1866
Added Protists: Lacked capability of • Protista
3 Kingdom
tissue differentiation • Plantae
• Animalia
Given by Copeland in 1956
Added Monera: EM studies showed • Monera
prokaryotes possess different 4 Kingdom • Protista
nuclear structure • Plantae
• Animalia
Given by RH Whittaker in 1969
• Monera
Separate group of Fungi. Classified • Protista
5 Kingdom
on the basis of 5 criteria. • Fungi
• Plantae
• Animalia
Given by Carl Woese in 1990
Archaea Archaebacteria
Kingdoms
Domains

Bacteria Eubacteria
3 domains divided into 6 kingdoms 6 Kingdom
Protista
Fungi
Eukarya Plantae
Animalia
 Biological Classification - Part II
Monera, Protista, Fungi, Virus, Viroid & Lichen
Monera (Monos – single) Includes prokaryotes
Features of Kingdom Monera Structure of Bacterial Cell
• Unicellular organisms (except 1 mycelial group) Fimbriae
• Genetic material: Naked coiled DNA Capsule
Cell wall
• Nucleus & cytoplasmic organelles absent Plasma
• Cytoplasmic organelles: Both types of ribosome, Membrane

simple chromatophores
• Gas vacuole may be present instead of sap
Pilus
vacuole Plasmid
Cytoplasm
• Mode of nutrition: Absorptive, photosynthetic
Coiled DNA
& chemosynthetic Ribosomes Flagelli
• Motility: Non-motile, simple flagellar or gliding
Shapes Bacterial Nutrition

Autotrophic
Types
Heterotrophic
Cocci Bacilli Vibrio Spirillum Filament Budded Stalked

Protista Single-celled eukaryotes

Features of Kingdom Protista Grouping of Protists
• Unicellular organisms Prokaryotic Consumer Protozoan
• Primarily aquatic
• Link between plants, animals & fungi • Dinoflagellate • Slime moulds • Slime moulds
• Well defined nucleus & membrane-bound • Diatoms • Myxomycetes • Myxomycetes
organelles • Euglenoids
• Reproduction: Asexual & sexual
• Mode of nutrition: Photosynthetic, holotrophic &
mixotrophic
Major Protist Groups
Chrysophytes Dinoflagellates Protozoans Euglenoids Slime moulds

Amoeboid Flagellates Sporozoans Ciliates

Fungi Thallus is the plant body of true fungi

Features of Kingdom Fungi Kingdom Fungi
Sub-kingdom
• Thallus organisation: Mycelial, non-mycelial
Gymnomycota Oomycota Eumycota
• Cell organisation: Made of chitin & cellulose (Myxomycota) Mycelium Mycelium
Slime Moulds now aseptate septate
• Cell-wall: Cellulose-glycogen, cellulose-chitin excluded from fungi
and placed under
or polygalactosamine-galactan Protiosta
• Nutrition: Parasitic, saprophytic, symbiotic Phycomycetes Zygomycetes
(Oomycetes (Conjugation fungi)
• Reproduction: Algal fungi) e.g., Rhizopus, Mucor
Phytophthora
Vegetative: fragmentation, budding & fission Albugo, Pythium
Deuteromycota Mycophycophyta
Asexual: Sporangiospores, zoospores & (Fungi imperfecti) (Dual organisms)
Sexual reproduction absent, Linchens, e.g.,
conidia e.g., Alternaria, Usnea, Parmelia
Cercospora, Microsporum,
Sexual: In all fungi (except Deuteromycotina) Trichophyton
• Classification: Phycomycetes (Rhizopus/mucor, Ascomycota Basidiomycota
(Sac fungi) (Club fungi)
Albugo), Ascomycetes (Yeast), Basidiomycetes, Aspergillus, Puccinina,
Pencillium, Ustilago,
Deuteromycetes Neurospora Agaricus
Virus: Not truly living species Viroids: Lack protein coat Lichens: Symbiotic associations
• Genetic material: DNA or RNA • Smaller than virus • Symbiosis between algae & fungi
• Nucleoprotein & genetic material • RNA has low molecular weight • Algal component: Phycobiont
• Capsid protects nucleic acid • Fungal component: Mycobiont
 Biological Classification - Part III
Plantae & Animalia
Consists of green, brown and red algae, liverworts, mosses, ferns
Plantae and seed plants
Features of Kingdom Plantae Varieties in Kingdom Plantae
• Walled, multicellular & frequently
vacuolated
• Plastids (photosynthetic pigment) present
• Motility: Non-motile & live, anchored to a
Algae Mosses Ferns
substrate
• Reproduction:
Asexual & sexual
Form multicellular embryo
Algae lack embryo stage
• Life cycle: Show alternation of generation Conifers Flowering plants
Classification in Kingdom Plantae Classification System
Plantae INDEX Kingdom
Cryptogamae

Undifferentiated Differentiated Phanerogamae

plant parts plant parts Division

Thallophyta (Algae) Without specialized With specialized Class

vascular tissues vascular tissues
Based on habitat

Cryophytes
Thermophytes Bryophyta Order
Epiphytes Do not produce seeds Produce seeds
Endophytes Pteridophyta Family
Parasites Naked seeds Seeds inside fruit
Psilopsida
Sub-phyla

Genus
Lycopsida Gymnosperm Angiosperm
Sphenopsida
Pteropsida Monocot Dicot Species

Animalia Consists of multicellular eukaryotic animals.

Basis of Classification in Kingdom Animalia
• Body symmetry: Asymmetrical, radial symmetry, bilateral symmetry
• Nature of coelom: Coelomate, acoelomate
• Arrangement of cells of embryonic layers: Diploblastic & triploblastic
• Notochord: Chordate, non-chordate
• Patterns of organ systems: Digestive system (incomplete & complete framework),
circulatory system (open & closed type), reproductive system framework
• Segmentation: External & internal segments with serial repetition of some organs
• Levels of organization: Cellular level, tissue level, organ level & organ framework level
Animalia

Porifera Cnidaria Platyhelminthes Nematoda Annelida Arthropoda Mollusca Echinodermata Protochordata Vertebrata

Cyclostomata Pisces Amphibia Reptilia Aves Mammalia

Attributes & Hierarchy Patterns of Kingdom Animalia Classification System

Levels of Body Cavity
Kingdom Symmetry Phylum Kingdom
organisation or Coelom
Cellular level Porifera
Phylum
Coelenterata
Radial (Cnidaria)
Animalia Class
(Multicellular) Ctenophora
Without body cavity Order
Platyhelminthes
Tissue/ Organ/ (acoelomates)
Organ system
Family
With false coelom
Aschelminthes
(psuedocoelomates)
Annelida Genus
Bilateral
Arthropoda
With true coelom Mollusca
Species
(Coelomates) Echinodermata
Hemichordata
Chordata