1) Need for classification of living organisms :-

Living organisms have evolved on the earth over millions of years. There is a vast variety of living organisms.
Living organisms show a wide range of variations.

- Some microscopic bacteria are of a few micrometres in size and some like whales and red wood trees are about
30 metres and 100 metres in size.

- Some pine trees live for thousands of years while insects like mosquitoes die within a few days.

- Some organisms are colourless and even transparent and some are brightly coloured.

To understand and study all these organisms is impossible. If they are arranged into different groups based on
their similarities in characteristics, then it is easier to study the different groups as a whole.

Classification of living organisms :- The arranging of organisms into different groups on the basis of the similarities
in their characteristics is called classification of living organisms.

2) Basis of classification of living organisms :-

The main characteristics which are considered for classification of living organisms into different groups are :-

- Whether they are made of prokaryotic or eukaryotic cells.

- Whether the cells occur singly or they are grouped together and live as an indivisible group.

- Whether they produce their own food by photosynthesis or get their food from outside.

- Of the organisms which produce their own food (plants) what is the level of organisation of their body ?

- Of the animals what is the level of organisation of their body and what are their special organs and their
functions ?

The characteristics used for classification of plants will be different from the characteristics used for classification
of animals because plants make their own food and animals get their food from outside.

3) Classification and evolution :-

The present day complex living organisms have evolved from the earlier simple forms due to the changes in
their body designs over millions of years.

The body designs of living organisms are gradually changing due to the changes in environment and the need to
adapt themselves to the changes in the environment.

Some groups of organisms having ancient body designs have not changed much during evolution and have
simple forms and structure. These organisms are called ‘primitive or lower organisms’.

Some organisms have acquired their body designs relatively recently and have complex forms and structure.
These organisms are called ‘advanced or higher organisms’.

4) The hierarchy of classification – Groups :-

Living organisms have been broadly classified into five main

kingdoms. They are :-

i) Monera ii) Protista iii) Fungi iv) Plante v) Animalia

sub - groups at various levels as :-

Kingdom

Phylum (for plants) / Division (for animals)

Class

Order

Family

Genus

Species

By arranging organisms on the basis of hierarchy and characteristics

into smaller and smaller groups we arrive at the basic unit of

classification called species.

Species :- is group of organisms which are similar enough to breed and perpetuate.

5) The Five Kingdom classification of living organisms :-

i) Monera :-

They are mostly prokaryotic, unicellular, do not have a definite nucleus, may or may not have cell wall, and the
mode of nutrition is autotrophic or heterotrophic.

Eg :- Bacteria, Blue-green algae, Cyanobacteria, Mycoplasma etc.

ii) Protista :-

They are eukaryotic, unicellular, mostly aquatic, some have cilia or flagella which help them in moving and the
mode of nutrition may be autotrophic or heterotrophic.

Eg :- Algae, Diatoms, Protozoans etc.

iii) Fungi :-

They are eukaryotic, unicellular or multicellular. They do not have chlorophyll and cannot prepare their own
food and are heterotrophs. They use decaying organic matter as food and so are called saprophytes. Some of
them live in association with algae. They are called lichens.

Eg :- Yeast, Aspergillus, Penicillium, Agaricus, Lichens etc.

iv) Plante (Plants) :-

They are multicellular eukaryotes having cell walls. They

use chlorophyll for photosynthesis. All plants are included

in this group.
 They are divided into five groups. They are :-

Thallophyta, Bryophyta, Pteridophyta, Gymnosperms and

Angiosperms.

v) Animalia (Animals) :-

They include all organisms which are multicellular,

eukaryotes, without chlorophyll and cell walls. They are

heterotrophs.

They are divided into ten groups. They are :-

Porifera, Coelenterata, Platyhelminthes, Nematoda,

Annelida, Arthropoda, Mollusca, Echinodermata,

Protochordata, and Vertebrata.

5) Classification of plants (Plantae) :-

Plants are divided into five groups. They are :-

i) Thallophyta ii) Bryophyta iii) Pteridophyta iv) Angiosperms

v) Gymnosperms

i) Thallophyta :-

In this group the plants do not have well differentiated body parts. The plants are called algae. They are mostly
aquatic. Eg :- Spirogyra,

Ulothrix, Cladophora, Chara etc.

ii) Bryophyta :-

In this group the plant body is differentiated into stem and leaf like structures but there are no specialised
structures for the conduction of water and other substances from one part of the plant body to the other. These
plants are called the amphibians of the plant kingdom.

Eg :- Moss (Funaria), Marchantia, Riccia etc.

iii) Pteridophyta :-

In this group the plant body is differentiated into roots, stem and leaves and has vascular tissue for conducting
water and other substances from one part of the plant body to the other. Eg :- Ferns, Marsilea etc.

iv) Gymnosperms (Cryptogams) :-

The plants of this group bear naked seeds (gymno – means naked and sperma means seed). They are usually
perinneal, evergreen and woody.

Eg :- Pines (Pinus), Cycas etc.

v) Angiosperms (Phanerogams) :-
 The plants of this group bears covered seeds (angio – means covered and sperma – means seed). They are also
called flowering plants. The plant embryo in the seed have cotyledons.

Angiosperms are divided into two groups on the basis of the number of cotyledons. Plants with seeds having
single cotyledon are called monocots. Eg :- rice, wheat, maize etc. green gram, peas, tamarind etc. Plants with
seeds having two cotyledons are called dicots. Eg :- green gram, peas, tamarind etc.

Dicots