Characteristics and

Classification of organisms

© D. K. Roy
2 Five-Kingdom System
Organisms
1. Prokaryotes
2. Protoctista* Prokaryotes Eukaryotes

3. Fungi
4. Plants Protoctista Fungi Plants Animals

5. Animals
Organisms

Prokaryotes Protoctista Fungi Plants Animals

3 7 levels
Kingdom

Phylum

Class

Order

Family

Genus

Species
 4 Kingdom: Prokaryotes
i. Prokaryotes are unicellular [one cell only].
ii. Do not have any membrane-bound organelles
(e.g. no mitochondria or chloroplasts).
iii. Do not have a true nucleus [only a small piece of
DNA without a nuclear membrane].
iv. Some have plasmids [an additional loop of DNA].
v. Have cell wall [peptidoglycan also called murein].
vi. They reproduce by binary fission.
vii. They have ribosomes.
viii. Some have flagella– used for movement or
swimming.
5 Kingdom: Protoctista

 Protoctists (n.) are unicellular and multicellular organisms that

are not fungi, plants, or animals.
 They are often referred to as unicellular plants (protophyta)
or unicellular ‘animals’ (protozoa).
6 Kingdom: Protoctista…
i. They have cells with a proper nucleus.
ii. Unicellular and multicellular.
iii. Cells are with or without cell wall and
chloroplasts.
iv. Autotrophic or heterotrophic.
 e.g.
7
8 Fungi Kingdom
i. Usually multicellular (some are unicellular, e.g.
yeasts).
ii. Fungi do not contain chloroplasts.
iii. They are saprophytic or parasitic [Heterotrophs].
iv. Cell wall is made from chitin [A polysaccharide].
v. Have nuclei.
vi. They store carbohydrates as glycogen.
vii. Reproduce by forming spores.

e.g. yeast, mushroom, penicillium

9
Hyphae Cells
10

Hyphae are divided into cells by internal cross-walls called

"septa" (singular septum).

Septa are usually perforated by pores large enough for the

organelles to flow between cells [sometimes nuclei].
11

 In some
fungi,
hyphae
are not
divided by
septa.
12 Plants
13
Kingdom: Plant
i. Eukaryotic.
ii. Plants are autotrophic (have chlorophyll for photosynthesis).
iii. Plants are non-motile [apart from tropisms].
iv. Cells have cellulose cell walls.
v. Reproduce both sexually and asexually.
 14 Classification of plants...
Plants

Seedless Seed bearing

(Cryptogamia) (Phanerogamia)

Algae Liverwarts Mosses Ferns Non-flowering Flowering

Gymnosperms Angiosperms

Dicotyledons
Monocotyledons*
*

Going to study. * Cotyledon = seed leaf

15 Gymnosperms & Angiosperms
Non-flowering flowering

pine, spruce, cypress, cedar

16 Gymnosperms & Angiosperms...
17 Two groups of Angiosperms (flowering)

Dicot

Monocot
 18 Two groups of Angiosperms (flowering)...

Monocot Dicot
Cotyledon One Two
Root system Fibrous root only Taproot (mostly)
Leaf shape Long and narrow Broad
Leaf veins Parallel Netted
Floral organs 3 or multiples of 3 4/5 or multiples 4/5
Vascular
Vascular bundles are Vascular bundles are arranged in a
Tissues in
scattered ring
stem
Vascular Xylem and phloem have a ring- Xylem vessels are at the center and
Tissues in like arrangement. surrounded by phloem vessels
root
19
Leaf veins
20
21 Seedless plants: Fern
 22 Ferns
i. Have 3 body parts:
 roots,
 frond [leaves],
 rhizome (underground stem).
ii. Grow in damp and shady places.
iii. They are vascular plants.
iv. Reproduce by spore (no seeds).
23 3 body parts of a Fern

(Underground stem)
24
Kingdom: Animal
 Eukaryotic (complex cells with membrane-bound organelles).
 Animals are heterotrophs.
 Animals are motile [except only a few].
 Most animals reproduce sexually.

 Divided into two groups:

i. Invertebrates: without a backbone
ii. Vertebrates : with a backbone
 25
Phylum: Arthropods
i. Have several pairs of jointed legs.
ii. Have exoskeleton. [waterproof]
iii. Have segmented body. [usually the head, thorax, and abdomen]

• Divided into 4 classes:

1. Insects
2. Arachnids
3. Crustaceans
4. Myriapods
26
Class: Insects...
i. Body is divided into head, thorax, and abdomen.
ii. Have 3 pairs of jointed legs.
iii. Have, usually, 2 pairs of wings. [at some stage]
iv. Have 1 pair of compound eyes.
v. Have 1 pair of antennae.
vi. Breathe through trachea.

• e.g. ant, fly, wasp

27
Body parts of insects
28 Compound eyes
29
Class: Arachnids…
i. Body is divided into cephalothorax and abdomen.
ii. Have 4 pairs of jointed legs [on the cephalothorax].
iii. Have no antenna and wings.
iv. Have several pairs of simple eyes.
v. Breathe through gills called book lungs and/or trachea.
vi. [1 pair of pedipalps and chelicerae.]
30
Class: Insect Vs Arachnids…
31
32 Class: Crustaceans
i. Body is divided into cephalothorax and abdomen.
ii. Five or more pairs of jointed legs.
iii. One pair of compound eyes.
iv. Two pairs of antennae.
v. Breathe through gills.
vi. Exoskeleton often calcified to form a carapace (hard).
• e.g. crab, shrimp, lobster
33 Class: Myriapods...
i. Body consists of many segments.
ii. Ten or more pairs of jointed legs.
(usually one pair per segment)
iii. One pair of simple eyes.
iv. One pair of antennae.

e.g. centipede, millipede, Symphyla

34 Activity
Arthropods Body Number of Antennae Eyes (pair & type) Wings
segments legs

Insects 1 pair Usually 2

& compound pairs

Arachnids 4 pairs

Crustaceans 2 pairs

Many 1 pair & simple

35
5 classes of vertebrates

i. Fish
ii. Amphibians
iii. Reptiles
iv. Birds
v. Mammals
36 Vertebrates
• Have backbone (spinal column).
• Have skull.

1. Fish
2. Amphibians
3. Reptiles
4. Birds
5. Mammals
37 Class Fish...

i. Cold-blooded [Ectothermic/poikilothermic].
ii. Breathe through gills.
iii. Have fins.
iv. Body is covered with wet and slimy scales (mostly).
v. Lay jelly coated eggs.
vi. External fertilization.
vii. Have cartilage or bony skeleton.
viii. Most have a streamlined body.

e.g. salmon, shark, carp

38
39 Amphibians…
Caecilians

Axolotl
40
41 Class: Amphibians
i. Cold-blooded [Ectothermic/poikilothermic].
ii. Go back to water for reproduction.
iii. Lay jelly coated eggs in water.
iv. External fertilization.
v. Larvae (tadpoles) grow up in water, and use gills for breathing.
vi. Smooth and moist skin [without any scale] (but toad).
vii. Adults have lungs and usually live on land.
viii. Adults have 4 legs.
ix. Have a three-chambered heart.
42
Jelly coated eggs
43
Class: Reptiles...
 44 Class: Reptiles
i. Cold-blooded [Ectothermic/poikilothermic].
ii. Body is covered with dry, and hard scales.
iii. Have 4 limbs (but snake).
iv. Internal fertilization.
v. Lay eggs with leathery shell.
vi. Breathe with lungs.
vii. Live on land, and some in water.
 45

A B

C D
46
Reptiles to birds...
47 Class: Birds
i. Warm-blooded [endothermic/homoeothermic].
ii. Breathe with lungs.
iii. Internal fertilization.
iv. Lay eggs with hard shells.
v. Have beak for feeding.
vi. Have hollow bones.
vii. Have feathers and wings.
48 Class: Mammals
49 Class: Mammals
i. Warm-blooded [endothermic/homoeothermic].
ii. Have hairs or fur on the skin.
iii. External ears (Ears with a pinna).
iv. Internal fertilization [embryos develop inside mother’s body].
v. Give birth to live offspring.
vi. Females have mammary glands for producing milk.
vii. Have whiskers.
viii. Use lungs for breathing.
ix. The heart has 4 chambers.
 50 Complete the table

Fish Amphibians Reptiles Birds Mammals

Body covering

Breathing with

Habitat

How offspring
are produced
Controlling
body temp.
 Complete the table
51

Fish Amphibians Reptiles Birds Mammals

Body covering Moist scales Soft, moist skin Tough skin with Feathers Hairy or furry skin
(no scales) scales
Breathing with gills Gills, lungs, skin Lungs Lungs Lungs

Habitat Water On land, and in Water and land Land Mostly on land
water
How offspring Lay jelly coted Lay jelly coted Lay eggs Lay eggs most young
are produced egg egg with leathery With hard shell born alive
shell
Controlling Cold-blooded Cold-blooded Cold-blooded Warm-blooded Warm-blooded
body temp.
52 Viruses…
(DNA or RNA)

Viruses: has not been classified as living thing.

i. They are not made from cells (Much smaller
than bacteria).
ii. They have only protein coat and genetic
material DNA or RNA.
iii. They are parasitic and reproduce inside host
cells.

e.g. Tobacco Mosaic Virus and the Influenza virus.