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12.5. CLASSIFICATION OF PLANTS AND ANIMALS

Classification is the system of sorting living things into groups according to similarities and differences
The branch of biology concerned with classification of living organisms is called Taxonomy.

Principle of classification

Classification is based on the following principles:

Variation among living organisms

Identification
Binomial nomenclature introduced by Carolus Linnaeus
Placement of the organism into groups called taxa

Taxa

Kingdom
Phylum/division
Class
Order
Family
Genus
Species

The five kingdoms

There are five kingdoms under the domain Eukaryota.

Monera (bacteria)
Proctista (algea and protozoa)
Fungi (mushrooms, moulds, yeast and lichens)
Plantae (plants)
Animalia (animals)

Kingdom – Monera

General characteristics:
Are mainly unicellular and prokaryotic
Are either autotrophs or heterotrophs
Have a cell wall but enclosed in a capsule
Lack both chloroplast and cell vacuoles
Have flagella or cilia for motion
Reproduce by binary fission
Kingdom – Proctista

• General characteristics:
Are either unicellular or multicellular and eukaryotic
Are either autotrophs or heterotrophs
May or may not have a cellulose cell wall
Some members have vacuoles
Chloroplast are present in some members
Some members use cilia, pseudopodia or flagella for motion
Amoeba Paramecium

Euglena
Kingdom – Fungi

General characteristics:
 They are either unicellular or multicellular
eukaryotes
 They are either heterotrophic or saprophytic
 Have a cell wall of chitin and not cellulose
 They lack chloroplast
 Reproduce by means of spore or budding or
conjugation.

Mushroom
Lichen

Kingdom – Plantae

General characteristics
Are multi cellular eukaryotes
They have chloroplast to facilitate photosynthesis • Gaseous exchange is through stomata, lenticels or cuticle
Include:
 ▪ Angiosperms e.g. maize, banana, beans etc.

▪ Gymnosperms e.g. pine, Cyprus

▪ Pteridophytes e.g. ferns

▪ Bryophytes e.g. mosses, liverworts

▪ Chrolophytes e.g. spirogyra, Oedogonium and Chlamydomonas.

Phylum - Chlorophyta

Characteristics:
They have chlorophyll which is photosynthetic pigment.

They have simple body form called thallus with little or no cell
differentiation.

Their cells have cellulose cell wall.

Examples include: spirogryra, Ulva, Oedogonium and Chlamydomonas.
Ulva Oedogonium

Chlamydomonas
 Phylum –Bryophyta

• Main characteristics:

• Mostly terrestrial and green

• They have rhizoids instead of roots

• They lack the vascular system

• They show alternation of generations with a haploid

plant (gametophyte) and a diploid plant (sporophyte). The
gametes are produced in gametangia.
Examples include: Moss and liverworts

Moss Liverwort

Phylum –Pteridophyta
 They show alternation of generation with stages known as gametophyte and asexual stage sporophyte
Have true stems, leaves and roots. The sporophytes have
stems called Rhizomes which bear adventitious roots.
The leaves are called fronds. They are dissected into
leaflets arranged in pinnate fashion around a stout rib
called rachis
The fronds have sori (singular – sorus) where spores are
formed
The stem has vascular tissue with xylem surrounded by
phloem but the phloem have no companion cells

Spermatophyta

Main characteristics:

 Are seed bearing plants

 They are heterospores i.e. produces two types gametes, the male and female gametes
 Sexual reproduction does not involve free swimming gametes, instead a pollen tube is used for
fertilisation.
 Complex vascular tissues occur in roots, stems and leaves
 The division is further sub-divided into two sub-divisions namely gymnospermae and angiospermae.

Subphylum - Gymnospermae

•(naked) The seeds are not enclosed in an ovary

They produce cones
They do not produce fruits because they have no
ovary
Xylem have tracheid only
Phloem has no companion cells
Examples include cycads and conifers
 Cycads Ginkgo

Sub phylum - Angiospermae

The seeds are enclosed in an ovary

They produce flowers
They produce fruits. Some fruits may develop without fertilization e.g. Bananas
Xylem has both tracheid and vessels
Phloem has companion cells
Examples include beans, maize, wheat etc.
The subphylum angiospermae is divided into two classes namely Monocotyledonae and
dicotyledonae.

Differences between monocotyledonae and dicotyledonae

Monocotyledonae Dicotyledonae

One cotyledon in seed Two cotyledons in seed

Root xylem and phloem in a ring Root phloem between xylem star arms

Vascular bundles scattered in stem Vascular bundles in the stem in distinct ring

Leaf veins form a parallel pattern Leaf veins form a net pattern

Flower parts in threes and multiples of Flower parts in fours or fives and their multiples
three

Have a fibrous root system Have a tap root system

Kingdom – Animalia

• General characteristics:
Are multicellular eukaryotes
Are heterotrophic
Are composed of cells with a cell membrane but lacking cell wall, chloroplast and vacuole
Move from place to place
Reproduction involves fertilization by fusion of male and female gametes to form a zygote.
The Animalia kingdom is divided into nine phyla namely Porifera, Cnidaria, Platyhelminthes,
Nematoda, Annelida, Mollusca, Anthropoda, Echinodermata and Chordata.
Phylum - Porifera

• All marine
• Body lacks symmetry
•numerous
Body has two layers of cells with
spores.

• Examples are sponges

Phylum - Cnidaria

• Characteristic
Have sac-like bodies with radial symmetry
Have two layers of cells with a single
internal cavity
Have stinging organs called nematocytes
Have a mouth but no anus
Examples: Hydra, Jelly fish, Corals and Sea
anemones

Jelly fish Coral

Sea anemones
Phylum – Platyhelminthes

Characteristics

Have a long and flat body (flat worms)

Some live in fresh water e.g planaria but most
are parasitic e.g. liver fluke (Fasciola) and tape
worm (Taenia)
Examples: Planaria, Liver flukes and Tape
worms

Liver fluke Tapeworm

Phylum - Nematoda

• Characteristics:
Have long and round bodies
(round worms)
Most are parasite however some live
freely in the soil
Examples include Ascaris, Pin worms,
Filarial worms and Hook worms

Pin worm Filarial worm

Hook worms

Phylum - Annelida

• Characteristics:
Have long bodies divided into rings
(segmented worms)
Have a true body cavity or coelom
Some members are free living while
others are parasites.

Examples include Ragworms

(Nereis), Lugworm (Arenicola),
Earthworm (Lumbricus terrestris)
and Leech (Hirudo)

Lug worm Earth worm Leech

Phylum - Echinodermata

Characteristics:
Members live in the sea
Have five arms arranged in a particular plan
Have external spines
Have water vascular system which is part of the
coelom
Examples: Star fishes, Sea cucumbers and Sea
urchins
Sea cucumber Sea urchins

Phylum - Mollusca

Characteristics:
 Members have soft bodies with no bones
 Their bodies are not segmented
 Most have a hard shell to protect their soft bodies
 Their bodies are divided into a head, muscular foot and a visceral mass that contains
intestine and branhes of the coelom
Examples include Snails, Slugs,
Clams, Oysters, Squids and
Octopuses

Slug Clams

Oysters Squid Octopus

Phylum – Arthropoda

Main characteristics:
Have an open circulatory system
Have jointed appendages
Are bilaterally symmetrical
Cephalization is pronounced in central nervous consisting of the cerebral ganglia and vernal
nerve cord
Have an exoskeleton made of chitin
The Phylum Arthopoda is divided into five classes namely Crustacean, Chilopoda, Diplopoda,
Arachinda and Insecta

• Characteristics

• Mainly aquatic and gaseous exchange is through gills

• Head is made of six segments

• Body is divided into two parts i.e. Cephalothorax and abdomen

• Abdomen is made of seven segments

• Have two pairs of compound eyes raised on stalks

• Examples include Cray fishes, Crabs, Lobsters and Shrimps

Class – Crustacean

Crab Lobster Shrimp

Class –Diplopoda
 The body is segmented with each
segment having two pairs of legs.
 The head is made up of six segments.
 Have one pair of short club shaped
antennae.
 The genital aperture is located on the
anterior.
 Gaseous exchange is through the
trachea.
 Have simple eyes.
 Have one pair of mouth parts
 Are herbivorous.
Example: Millipede
Chilopoda

 The body is segmented with each segment

having one pair of legs.
 Appendages on the first body segment are
modified into poisonous jaws.
 Genital aperture is posterior in location.
 Have one pair of long antenna.
 Have simple eyes.
 Have one pair of mouth parts
 Are carnivorous.
 Example centipede
o

o class- Insecta

 Body is divided into three parts i.e. Head,

thorax and abdomen.
 Have one pair of antennae.
 Have one pair of compound eyes and a pair
of simple eyes.
 Have three pair of mouth parts (gnathites).
 Gaseous exchange is by the trachea system.
 Have three (3) pairs of walking legs.
 Have 1or 2 pairs of wings.

Class - Arachinda

 The body is divided into two parts i.e.

cephalothorax and abdomen.
 Have no antennae.
 Have simple eyes.
 Gaseous exchange is by internal air
spaces.
 Have four (4) pairs of walking legs.

Scorpion

Have no wing
 Phylum – chordata

Notochord is present at some stage in their life time.

Are bilaterally symmetrical, triploblastic and coelomates,

Have openings into the pharynx called pharyngeal at some stage in their life time.
Have dorsal and hollow nerve cord.
Have segmented muscle blocks called myotomes on either sides of the body.
Have a post anal tail
Have a closed circulatory system.
Have an endoskeleton made of bone and cartilages.

Class –

Dorsal fin
operculum
eye
Tail fin

Pectoral fin Anal fin

Pisces
Pelvic fin

 The other name for pisces is fishes

 They are aquatic
 Most have bodies covered with scales.
 Have gills for gaseous exchange.
 Have fins for locomotion.
 Have streamlined bodies.
 Have a lateral line system which acts as the sense organ
 Have a closed circulatory system with a two (2) chambered heart.
 Are poikilotherms.
 Reproduce through internal fertilisation
 Class – Amphibia

These include frogs and toads

Characteristics:
 Have soft and moist skins.
 Have well developed limbs for locomotion
 Have a complex
breathing system i.e.
tadpoles use gills,
adults use lungs, skin
and mouth epithelium.
 Have a closed circulatory system with a three
(3) chambered heart.
 Reproduced by external fertilisation.
 Are poikilotherms

Salamander Newt

Class – Reptilia

Characteristics:

Most have limbs except snakes

Have scales • Have a bony skeleton.
Have a closed circulatory system with a four (4)
chambered heart.
Reproduce by internal fertilisation
Are poikilotherms
These include lizards, snakes, tortoise and
crocodiles.

Tortoise Turtle
 Crocodile Alligator

Class – Aves

These include birds.

Endoskeleton is bony with hollow and
light bones
The sternum is extended into a
structure called keel. This increases the
surface area for attachment of flight
muscles.
Body is covered with feathers and Legs
are covered with scales
Have a closed circulatory system
with a four (4) chambered heart.
Have middle and inner ear but
lack an outer ear.

Are homoiotherms
Reproduce by internal
fertilisation

Class – Mammalia

Body is covered with fur or hair

Females have mammary glands for milk production.
Gaseous exchange is through lungs
Have eternal ear lobes
Have a highly developed brain
Circulatory system is closed with a well-developed four (4) chambered heart.

homoiotherms
Have sweat glands
Have a muscular diaphragm that separates the thoracic
and abdominal cavities.
Reproduction is through internal fertilisation.Most give
birth to live young
Kangaroo Pangolin

Armadillo Duck billed platypus

Dolphin Killer whale

Dichotomous key

• A dichotomous key is a set of instructions used to identify unknown organisms by using

descriptions of observable features.