KINGDOMS OF LIVING THINGS
IN THE LINNAEAN CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM
| KINGDOM | STRUCTURAL ORGANIZATION |
METHOD OF NUTRITION |
TYPES OF ORGANISMS |
NAMED SPECIES |
TOTAL SPECIES (estimate) |
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monera | small, simple single prokaryotic cell (nucleus is not enclosed by a membrane); some form chains or mats | absorb food and/or photosynthesize | bacteria, blue-green algae (cyanobacteria), and spirochetes | 4,000 | 1,000,000 | |||||
| Protista | large, single eukaryotic cell (nucleus is enclosed by a membrane); some form chains or colonies | absorb, ingest, and/or photosynthesize food | protozoans and algae of various types | 80,000 | 600,000 | |||||
| Fungi | multicellular filamentous form with specialized eukaryotic cells | absorb food | funguses, molds, mushrooms, yeasts, mildews, and smuts | 72,000 | 1,500,000 | |||||
| Plantae | multicellular form with specialized eukaryotic cells; do not have their own means of locomotion | photosynthesize food | mosses, ferns, woody and non-woody flowering plants | 270,000 | 320,000 | |||||
| Animalia | multicellular form with specialized eukaryotic cells; have their own means of locomotion | ingest food | sponges, worms, insects, fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals | 1,326,239 | 9,812,298 | |||||
| NOTE: A growing number of researchers now either divide the Monera into two distinct kingdoms: Eubacteria (the true bacteria) and Archaebacteria (bacteria-like organisms that live in extremely harsh anaerobic environments such as hot springs, deep ocean volcanic vents, sewage treatment plants, and swamp sediments) or define 3 domains of living things: Archaeo (archaeobacteria), Bacteria (all other bacteria, blue-green algae, and spirochetes), and Eukarya (organisms with distinct nuclei in their cells--protozoans, fungi, plants, and animals). Domains are a level of classification above kingdoms. Viruses, prions, and other non-cellular organic entities are not included in the domains and kingdoms of living things. | ||||||||||
| The numbers of named and estimated total species were derived from Gibbs, W. Wayt (2001) "On the Termination of Species", Scientific American Vol. 285, No. 5. | ||||||||||
Copyright © 1998-2012 by Dennis O'Neil. All rights reserved.