CLASSIFICATION

(TAXONOMY, NOMENCLATURE, SYSTEMATICS)

Principally the biological groups will be placed into major groups only, more finely detailed classification will only be used if necessary or appropriate (and if I can find it). It should be noted that no preference has been given in the order of the kingdoms, they are all equal, one is no more prominent or important than the others. For simplicity I am using the most familiar (and therefore maybe slightly dated?) classification organization. That is I am not using the Dominions above the Kingdoms, nor am I going to refer to Cladistics or phylogenetic organization methods.

KINGDOM

A Kingdom is the highest rank of classification of biological organisms, grouping together organisms that share fundamental characteristics such as cell structure and the means of obtaining nutrition. I have adopted the Five Kingdom approach, as it meets the criteria most commonly found in resource material most easily available to the general public. The Kingdoms are also placed within Domains. There are two Domains, the Prokaryotes and the Eukaryotes. Prokaryotes includes the Super-Kingdoms, Bacteria and Archaea, that both make up the Kingdom of Monera. Eukaryotes is divided into four Kingdoms, Animalia, Fungi, Plantae and Protista.

SUB-KINGDOM

A Sub-Kingdom is a grouping of more closely related organisms based on their fundamental characteristics within their own Kingdoms.

Kingdom: Animalia
|
Sub-Kingdom: Parazoa
Sub-Kingdom: Mesozoa
Sub-Kingdom: Metazoa

Kingdom: Fungi
|
Sub-Kingdom: Eomycota
Sub-Kingdom: Neomycota

Kingdom: Monera
|
Sub-Kingdom: Archaebacteria
Sub-Kingdom:
Eubacteria

Kingdom: Plantae
|
Sub-Kingdom: Thallobionta
Sub-Kingdom: Embryobionta

   

Kingdom: Protista
|
Sub-Kingdom: Protozoa
Sub-Kingdom: Algae


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Last Updated: 9th November 2003