Thursday, April 2, 2009

Classifying Organisms

KINGDOM PLANTAE (PLANTS)
  • Eukaryotic cells (complex & large with specific organelles)
  • Multicellular (plants are composed of MANY cells)
  • Autotrophic (make their own food via photosynthesis)
  • Other unique features: Cells have a thick cell wall, and green parts of plant contain chloroplasts

KINGDOM ANIMALIA (ANIMALS)

  • Eukaryotic cells (complex & large with specific organelles)
  • Multicellular (animals are composed of MANY cells)
  • Heterotrophic (must ingest/eat other organism for energy)

KINGDOM FUNGI (FUNGUSES)

  • Eukaryotic cells (complex & large with specific organelles)
  • Most are multicellular: ex. mushroom
  • Some are unicellular: ex. yeast
  • Heterotrophic (most are saprotrophs: absorb nutrient from dead or living material)

KINGDOM PROTISTA (PROTISTS/PROTOZOANS)

  • Eukaryotic cells (complex & large with specific organelles)
  • Most are unicellular
  • Some are multicellular
  • Some are heterotrophic (must ingest/eat other organism for energy)
  • Some are photosynthetic autotrophs

KINGDOM EUBACTERIA (BACTERIA)

  • Prokaryotic cells (very simple & small in comparison, no specific organelles)
  • Unicellular (the organism is just one cell)
  • Can be heterotrophic or autotrophic (characteristic for classification conditions can vary greatly)
  • Cell shape is a major characteristic for classification:
  1. Cocci-round or sphere shaped
  2. Baccili-rod shaped
  3. Spirlli-spiral shaped

KINGDOM ARCHAEBACTERIA (ANCIENT BACTERIA)

  • Prokaryotic cells (very simple & small in comparison, no specific organelle)
  • Unicellular (the organism is just one cell)
  • Many are extremeophiles: live in & obtain energy in very extreme conditions where no other organism would survive
  • These are the oldest known organisms & believed to be the first on this planet

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