CLASSIFICATION OF LIVING

ORGANISMS

By ELLY KENEDDY NALITSO

0708838163- 0779031029
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 INTROduCTION.
Classification is the process of placing animals and plants into groups
according to their similarities in structure, physiological processes and
behavioral.

This involves collecting organisms, observing their structural

characteristics and sorting them into groups known as taxa.

The branch of biology concerned with classification is called taxonomy.

The word taxonomy is derived from a Greek word taxis- meaning

arrangement and nomia-meaning distribution.
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 LeVeL OF CLASSIFICATION
• The level of classification is called taxon. Plural –taxa.
• A taxon is a unit of classification made of similar organisms. The largest taxon is
the kingdom and the smallest taxon is the species. All organisms have been put in
seven major taxa and these include:
1. Kingdom
2. Phylum (phyla)
3. Class
4. Order
5. Family
6. Genus (genera)
7. Species

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 kINGdOM
• A kingdom is the largest taxon, and all the other taxa (groups of living
organisms) are placed in one the kingdoms. In modern classification system,
there are 5 kingdoms:
1. Monera (bacteria)
2. Protoctista
3. Fungi (Mycota)
4. Plantae
5. Animalia

Note: Viruses are not classified in any of the five kingdoms because they do not
have all the characteristics of all living things
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 SpeCIeS
• A species is the smallest taxon which is made up of individuals that have
almost the same characteristic features and can interbreed freely to produce
viable off springs i.e. reproductively fertile off springs
• Taxon Human Honeybee Maize Meadow mushroom

Kingdom Animalia Animalia Plantae Fungi

Phylum Chordata Arthropoda Angiospermophyta Basidiomycota
Class Mammalia Insect Monocotyledoneae Basidiomcetes
Order Primates Hymenoptera Commelinales Agaricales
Family Hominidae Apidae Poaceae Agaricaceae
Genus Homo Apis Zea Agaricus
Species sapiens Mellifera mays campestris
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 BINOMIAL SySTeM OF NOMeNCLATuRe
• Binomial nomenclature is the system of giving a scientific name to an
organism. The word binomial comes from two words bi- meaning two and
nomio meaning name.
Rules of binomial system of nomenclature
Each organism should be given two Latin or Greek names which include
generic (genus) name followed by specific (species) name.
The generic name should start with a capital letter and a specific name starts
with the small letter
When written both names should be underlined separately or printed in italics

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 kINGdOM: MONeRA
This basically comprises of bacteria which are prokaryotes
General characteristics
• They are unicellular with cells occurring either alone or in colonies.
• The cells lack membrane bound organelles.
• The free-living bacteria have flagella
• Some are parasitic and others are saprophytic
• The cell wall is covered with mucin
• They reproduce asexually by means of spores or binary fission.

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STRuCTuRe OF BACTeRIuM

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 eCONOMIC IMpORTANCe OF BACTeRIA
 Bacteria causes decay of dead plants and animals thus releasing nutrients for
use by green plants
Rhizobium converts the nitrogen into nitrates in the soils
 Bacteria manufacture vitamin B12 and k
Used in curing tea and tobacco, making silage /retting flax. Curing is process
of treating and preserving tea / tobacco
Bacteria destroys harmful organisms in sewage in the sewage treatment
Used in industrial processing of food like vinegar, cheese, and yoghurt
Symbiotic bacteria in ruminants help in digesting cellulose by secreting
enzymes cellulose
Bacteria cause decay and food spoilage
 Denitrifying bacteria converts nitrates in to free nitrogen in the soil.
Some
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bacteria cause harmful diseases to man like anthrax.
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 kINGdOM: pROTOCTISTA
Examples of protoctists are: Amoeba, Euglena, Paramecium, Trypanasomes,
Chlamydomonas, etc.
Main features of Protoctista
• They are unicellular organisms i.e. single celled organisms.
• They have a true nucleus with a nuclear membrane.
• They have double membrane organelles.
• Some members locomote freely using either pseudopodia (false legs) in amoeba,
cilia in paramecium or flagella in euglena and trypanosomes.
• They have varied forms of nutrition e.g. euglena and Chlamydomonas make their
own food by photosynthesis, amoeba and paramecium by phagocytosis and simple
absorption of digested food by trypanosomes.
• They live mostly in water or watery environments like wet lands.

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 pHyLuM: pROTOZOA
This is the main phylum of kingdom Protoctista. It has several classes but the
most important are:
• Rhizopoda e.g. Amoeba
These are free living organisms by means of pseudopodia or false legs
• Ciliophora (ciliata) e.g. paramecium
These possess cilia all over the body for locomotion or movement.
• Mastigophora e.g. trypanosomes.
These have a flagellum for locomotion.

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GeNeRAL CHARACTeRISTICS OF pROTOZOANS.
• They are unicellular.
• They are mainly found in fresh or marine water and in the soil.
• They are mostly free-living but some are parasites.
• They carry out locomotion by means of flagella, cilia or pseudopodia.
• Euglena have autotrophs and others protozoa-such as amoeba.
• They reproduce asexually by binary fission or multiple fission.

Examples of protozoa include Amoeba, Paramecium, Euglena, Trypanosome

and plasmodium.

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 AMOeBA
Amoeba is a free-living protozoa found
at the bottom of ponds.
It has temporary extensions called
pseudopodia used for locomotion.
The pseudopodia are also used for
enclosing food particles which form
food vacuoles. The food in vacuole is
digested by phagocytosis.
The extra amount of water can be
regulated by contractile vacuole.
These have no permanent shape and
cause dysentery in man.
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 FeedING IN AMOeBA
• Amoeba feeds on microscopic algae and bacteria.
• It captures the food by developing pseudopodia around the food and it
engulfs it.
• The cytoplasm flows around the food. This one now forms the food vacuole.
• Digestive enzymes are produced which break the food particles into soluble
food substances.
• The products are utilized and amoeba moves away from undigested food
remains. This is called egestion.

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 pARAMeCIuM

 Paramecium uses cilia for movement and collection of food. It has special
row of cilia that waft food particles into the hollow gullet.

The food vacuoles move in a very definite path through it and egestion occurs
at only one point near the region of ingestion.

Unlike amoeba, paramecium has a distinct and permanent shape and certain
areas of cytoplasm, (cell organelles), are specialized to carry out specific
functions.
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STRuCTuRe OF pARAMeCIuM.

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 euGLeNA
• This is commonly found in water and in soil. It is photosynthetic and moves by
means of flagellum.

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 eCONOMIC IMpORTANCe OF pROTOCTISTS

• They cause diseases e.g plasmodium that causes malaria, Trypanosoma that
causes trypanosomiasis, amoeba that causes amoebic dysentery.
• Some are used as food for aquatic organisms like fish eats algae
• Algae add oxygen and absorb carbon dioxide while carrying out
photosynthesis
• They are used as specimens for research.
• Algae blooming brings about eutrophication which destroys aquatic life

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 kINGdOM: FuNGI
• Kingdom fungi mostly have multicellular eukaryotic organisms such as
mushroom and mould. Some are unicellular like yeast.
• Other examples include toad stool, smuts, penicilium, mucor (grows on soil
and dead plants), Rhizopus (common bread mould).
• Rhizopus is saprophytic fungus which grows on decaying food like bread and
fruits.

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 GeNeRAL CHARACTeRISTICS
• Are multicellular except a few e.g. yeast.
• Fungi inhabit damp or aquatic plants
• They reproduce by means of spores. They have
saprophytic or parasitic mode of nutrition.
• Have vegetative body called mycelium which consists of
a network of hyphae.
• They have cell walls which consist of a material called
chitin.
• They lack chlorophyll though majority are plant-like.

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 ILLuSTRATION
• Diagram of common bread mould (Rhizopus) Structure of a mush room

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 eCONOMIC IMpORTANCe OF FuNGI
 Fungi decay dead organic materials to
release materials needed by green plants
Yeast respiring anaerobically, provides
alcohol for brewers and wine makers.
Yeast cells are a source for vitamin B extract
Fungi produce antibiotics e.g. penicillium.
Fungi provide food e.g. mushroom also used
in making cheese.

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 CONT…………..
Fungi can spoil food e.g. Rhizopus and
penicillium on the bread, cakes, fruits and jam.
Fungi causes plant disease e.g. rust, white bright
and smut.
Fungi can be used by military to prepare
biological weapons to be used in the war fare.
Dry rot fungus attacks the timber of houses.
Fungi causes diseases to man e.g. ringworm,
athlete’s foot.
Activity
• Discuss the role of micro-organisms in food
making and processing processes.
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 ReSeARCH.
• Discuss the importance of bacteria and fungi in the production of yoghurt,
cheese, bread and alcohol.

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 kINGdOM : ANIMALIA
Kingdom Animalia is composed of 9 main groups (phyla) each of which
consists of a variety of organisms.
 Porifera e.g. sponges
 Coelenterata e.g. hydra
 Platyhelminthes e.g. flat worms
 Nematoda e.g. round worms
 Annelida e.g. ringed worms
 Mollusca e.g. snails
 Echinodermata e.g. star fish
 Arthropoda e.g. cockroach
 Chordata
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 CONT.……….
Animals are classified into 2 major
groups i.e.
Vertebrates
These are animals with a back bone.
All vertebrates have an internal
skeleton made up of bone or cartilage
Invertebrates
These are animals without a back bone

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 GeNeRAL CHARACTeRISTICS OF ANIMALIA

 Animals carry out locomotion and

posses locomotory devices

 They are multicellular organisms.

 They have cells without cellulose

but contain true nucleus.

 They have heterotrophic mode of

nutrition
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pORIFeRA – THe SpONGeS
• The phylum is made of many types of sponges.
They have the following characteristics:
Possess simple bodies which are hollow and
sac-like.
They are sedimentary or sessile organisms
found attached to the rocks or coral reefs
Some can live in colonies or individually.
They lack a nervous system.
They have only one opening in their bodies.
They have a body made up of two layers of
cells i.e. ectoderm and endoderm.
They are marine dwellers
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 COeLeNTeRATA (CNIdARIA)
• They include the following; the jelly fish, sea anemones, hydra and corals.
They have the following characteristics:
• They are multicellular organisms.
• They are aquatic or marine organisms.
• They have soft bodies which are sac-like with body cavity called enteron
• They have radial body symmetry.
• They have a single body opening.
• They have tentacles.
• They possess specialized cells such the stinging cells used for defense or
paralyzing their prey.
• They have a ring of tentacles for capturing
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 pLATyHeLMINTHeS (FLAT wORMS)
• The phylum consists of organisms like flukes and tape worms. They have the
following characteristics:
• They have dorso-ventrally flattened body
• They have bilateral body symmetry.
• They are parasitic organisms.
• They have alimentary canal without mouth.
• The body wall has three body layers of cells (triploblastic) i.e. ectoderm
(outer), mesoderm (middle) and endoderm (inner).
• They are hermaphrodites; have both male and female organs in the same
organism.
• They lack blood circulatory system
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 NeMATOdA (ROuNd wORMS)
• The phylum has the examples like hookworms,
pin worms, guinea worms, whip worms and
Ascaris lumbricoides. They have the following
characteristics:
• They have segmented bodies.
• They have elongated and cylindrical bodies
pointed at both ends.
• They have closed circulatory system.
• They have gaseous exchange occurs all over the
body surface.
• They have a complete digestive system with
both mouth and anus.
• Some are parasitic and others are freeELLYliving.
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 ANNeLIdA
• . These are the ringed or segmented worms e.g. earthworms, leeches, rag
worms, lugworms, etc. They have the following characteristics:
• The body wall has three body layers of cells (triploblastic) i.e. ectoderm
(outer), mesoderm (middle) and endoderm (inner).
• They have true coelom.
• They have a closed circulatory system.
• They have gaseous exchange all over body surface.
• They have complete digestive system with both anterior (oral) and posterior
(Anal) openings.
• They are hermaphrodites and reproduce sexually but they often promote cross
fertilization.
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• They are carnivorous and some live as external parasites.
• They have bodies divided into section called septae.
• Externally the body shows ring- like segments.
Earthworm leech

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 pHyLuM ARTHROpOdA
• Arthropoda is the largest phylum in the animal kingdom has a wide variety of
animals occupying a wide variety of habitats on land, sea and fresh water.
Main characteristics of arthropods
• They have a segmented body.

• Presence of an exoskeleton that is shed periodically.

• They have jointed limbs and appendages for feeding, locomotion, and irritability.

• They have a well-developed nervous system

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 CLASSIFICATION OF ARTHROpOdS
• The exoskeleton is made up of chitin which is a fairly firm but flexible.
• The exoskeleton provides support to terrestrial arthropods. It also provides
points of attachment for the muscles.
• The exoskeleton prevents the desiccation of the body by secreting wax.
• The exoskeleton also protects the organism from mechanical injury
• The phylum comprises of classes Crustacea, Chilopoda, Diplopoda, Insecta
and Arachnida.

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 CLASS: CRuSTACeA
• Crustacea are organisms whose body is covered by a carapace. A carapace is a
hard shell.
Examples of members of the class Crustacea include crabs, crayfish, lobsters,
prawns, woodlice and shrimps.

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 dISTINGuISHING CHARACTeRISTICS
• They occupy aquatic habitats. (found in marine and
fresh water)
• They breathe by means of gills.
• Their body is divided into two parts. Their head and
thorax are fused to form a cephalothorax.
• They have a pair of compound eyes each on a raised
stalk.
• They have two antennae and small short pair called
atenules.
• They have five pair of limbs that are modified for
swimming.
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 CLASS: ARACHNIdA
• Arachnida are terrestrial arthropods. Members of this class all have 8 legs.
Examples of arachnids include spiders, ticks, scorpions and mites

Distinguishing characteristics
• Arachnida have two main body parts. The head and thorax are fused to form
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cephalothorax. ELLY KENEDDY 48
 CONT.…….
• They do not have antenna but have a pair of pedipalp
which they use for sensory and defense purposes.

• They have simple eyes.

• They have four pairs of walking legs.

• They carry out gaseous exchange by the book lungs.

• Arachnids do not have wings.

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 CLASS: INSeCTA
• Insects are the largest group of arthropods and most
successful animals on earth since they possess an
exoskeleton which reduces water loss from the
body..
• They occupy every habitat on earth in such places as
air, soil and water.
• Identify any 10 examples of insects

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 dISTINGuISHING CHARACTeRISTICS
• Insects have three body parts, namely: the head, thorax, and abdomen.
• They have three pairs of walking legs on the thorax. One pair of walking legs
per segment of the thorax.
• They breathe by means of spiracles and carry out gaseous exchange in the
tracheal system.
• Their thorax is divided into 3 segments that is to say, prothorax, mesothorax
and metathorax.

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 CLASS: CHILIpOdA
• Chilipoda is made up of centipedes. The centipedes
are mainly found on land
Distinguishing characteristics
• Centipedes have a clearly defined head
• They have one pair of mouthparts known as
mandibles.
• They have one pair of legs in each body segment.
• They carry out gaseous exchange by means of a
trachea
• Their body is flattened dorso-ventrally.
• They have one pair of poison claws.
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 pHyLuM: MOLLuSCA
• The organisms are generally aquatic and live both on fresh water and marine.
Examples include snails, slugs, octopus, squids, mussels and oysters.

They have the following characteristics:

• They have soft and unsegmented bodies.
• Nearly all have shells with exception of octopus and squids. ü The foot is used
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locomotion and attachment to theELLYsubstratum.
KENEDDY 55
 CLASS: dIpLOpOdA
• Class Diplopoda is made up of millipedes. Millipedes are common on damp
places.
Distinguishing characteristics
They have one pair of antenna
They have one pair of mouthparts, namely the mandibles.
They have two pairs of legs in each segment.
They carry out gaseous exchange through the trachea.
They feed on plants.
They have a cylindrical body
They have the ability to coil when disturbed or not active.
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ILuSTRATION

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 kINGdOM: pLANTAe
• The kingdom Plantae comprises a variety of plants.
General characteristics
They are mostly green in colour thus carry out
photosynthesis
 They are multicellular.
They exhibit; limited movements such as opening
and closing of petals etc.
Their cells are surrounded by cellulose cell wall.
They respond slowly to external stimuli and do not
move from one place to another.

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• The kingdom is sub divided into three divisions, Bryophyta, Tracheophyta,
and the algae.
ALGAE
They include;
• Green algae (chlorophyta) e.g. spirogyra and chlamydomonas
• Brown algae (phycophyta) e.g focus and laminaria
• Red algae (Rhodophyta) e.g chondrus

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FORMS OF ALGAe

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 CHARACTeRISTICS OF ALGAe
Commonly found in fresh and marine water.
They are single-celled, colonial or filamentous.
They are autotrophs.
They have wide range of pigments, like brown,
green, blue, red and yellow.
They have a thallus body which is not
differentiated into leaves, item or roots They
reproduce asexually by fragmentation and binary
fission.
Few algae reproduce sexually by conjugation.

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 eCONOMIC IMpORTANCe OF ALGAe
Algae are used in the manufacture of gar
They provide food for fish.
When they die, they sink at the bottom of the sea bed
on which they can turn into oil.
During photosynthesis, they release oxygen that is
necessary for the respiration of animals that live in
water.
They are used in the manufacture ice cream, cosmetics,
and plants.
They pollute water, i.e. producing foul smell.
They clog pool filters in hindering the flow of water
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 dIVISION: BRyOpHyTA
• The division is comprised of liverworts and
mosses.
Main characteristics
They have simple leaves
They have rhizoids that are root-like
structures. They are used mainly for
anchorage.
Plants lack vascular bundles thus depend on
diffusion for movement of materials.
They are found in sheltered and moist areas.

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 dIVISION: TRACHeOpHyTA
• These show alternation of generations.
• The sporophytes differentiate into roots, stems and leaves with lignified
vascular tissues that are used for conducting water and food.
This division is divided into 2 sub-phyla:
• Pteridophyta
• Spermatophyta
Pteridophyta
• This is made up of ferns. Ferns are commonly found in shaded places which
are damp with cool temperature.

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 CONT……….
• The body of a sporophyte fern is divided
into leaves, stems and roots. The leaves are
called fronds while the stems are rhizomes
Main characteristics
Their plant body is called prothallus.
The body of a sporophyte fern is divided
into leaves, stem and roots.
The rhizomes grow horizontally below the
soil surface.
Ferns have well-developed conducting
tissues.
They have the adventitious roots which an
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 GyMNOSpeRMAe (CONe BeARING pLANTS)
• These are commonly found in high lands/
altitudes areas.
• They show xerophytic characteristics such as
sunken stomata, needle-like leaves, thick waxy
cuticle to prevent or reduce rate of
transpiration.
• Examples include pines, cypress, cedar tree,
cycads, jacaranda, and bougainvillea.
• Gymnospermae refers to plants whose seeds are
not enclosed

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 MAIN CHARACTeRISTICS
• They are non-flowering plants.
• Their seeds are found in the cone
scale.
• Have needle like leaves which reduce
the rate of transpiration.
• Found in high altitudes and can carry
out photosynthesis at low
temperatures.

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 ANGIOSpeRMAe (FLOweRING pLANTS)
• These are flowering plants where seeds are
enclosed in the ovary of the fruits.
General characteristics
• They are flowering plants
• Their seeds are enclosed in the ovary from where
the fruits develop
• The reproductive organs are found within the
flower

• These are sub divided into two classes.

Monocotyledonae and dicotyledonae.
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 MONOCOTyLedONAe
These are mainly grass family. Examples include wheat, rice,
barley, star grass, sorghum, maize, millet sugarcane etc.
Distinguishing characteristics
• Seeds have one cotyledon
• Have fibrous root system
• Have parallel veins in their leaves
• Leaves are generally narrow and long.
• Vascular bundles are scattered in the stem cross section
• Lack vascular cambium, i.e. no secondary thickening of the
stem.
• Flowers are held on an inflorescence.
• The floral parts are in threes or multiples
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ELLY KENEDDY 70
 dICOTyLedONAe
• These include herbs, shrubs and trees. Herbs are non woody plants so
turgidity of cells supports them. Shrubs and trees have stems with supporting
tissues such as xylem. Examples include beans, jacaranda, hibiscus, etc.
Distinguishing characteristics
• Have seeds with two cotyledons ü They have tap root system.
• Have network (reticulate) venation.
• Leaves are generally broad and short.
• Vascular bundles are radially arranged in the stem cross section.
• Have vascular cambium for secondary thickening.
• The floral parts are in fours or fives or in their multiples.

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 pHyLuM: CHORdATA
• Chordate refers to animals which possess a notochord.
Main characteristics
The presence of a notochord during the early stages of development.

The body is composed of head, trunk and usually a tail at some stage of
development.

Possess a hollow dorsal nerve cord.

They have pharyngeal clefts.

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 CONT.……….
This phylum mainly consists of the vertebrates and they are divided into 5 classes.
The 5 classes include the following;
• Pisces (fishes) e.g. tilapia and the Nile perch,
• Amphibia, e.g. frogs and toads
• Reptilia e.g. snakes, lizards, crocodiles
• Aves - birds
• Mammalia e.g. man and whale

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 CLASS: pISCeS
• This class contains fish.
Characteristics of organisms in class Pisces
• They live in water
• They scales on their skin
• They breathe using gills
• They have fins for swimming.
• They have eggs that are fertilized outside the body (externally)
• They are ectothermic

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 CLASS: AMpHIBIA
• This class includes the newt, salamander, toad and frog.. Amphibians live on land but
require water for breeding.
Distinguishing characteristics
• Amphibians have a soft moist skin without scales.
• They have a bony skeleton.
• They have two pairs of limbs.
• Amphibians have middle and an inner ear but no external ear.
• The egg of amphibians are laid in water and fertilized externally.
• An amphibian has a three-chambered heart with two auricles and a ventricle.
• They are ectothermic.

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 CLASS: RepTILIA
• Reptiles are mainly terrestrial with the exception of
the turtle which lives in water. Examples of reptiles
include the lizard, snake, crocodile, tortoise and
turtle.
Distinguishing characteristics
• Reptiles have dry skin with horny scales
• Their skeleton is made up of bones
• Most reptiles have pentadactyl limbs
• Reptiles do not have an external ear.
• They use lungs for carrying out gaseous exchange
• Their eggs are fertilized internally and laid on land.
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 CLASS: AVeS
• Aves refer to birds. There exists a wide variety of birds.
Distinguishing characteristics
• The skin of birds is covered by feathers, except the legs which are covered by horny
scales.
• They have skeleton is made of hollow bones. The hollow and light bones reduce
weight and enable flight.
• The fore limbs modified into wings for flight while the hind are feet for walking or
swimming.
• They have middle and inner ear but no external one.
• They use lungs for gaseous exchange.
• They have beak for feeding.
• They have internal fertilization. They lay eggs in calcareous shells.
• Their hearts have four chambers.
• They are ectothermic.
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 dICHOTOMOuS key.
Construct keys using the knowledge above.

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ALwAyS AIM FOR eXCeLLeNCe
By ELLY KENEDDY NALITSO

0708838163- 0779031029

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