Characteristics of the
Kingdoms
Archaea
• differ from the true bacteria in many important respects,
as well as from the eukaryotes. These differences
include:
• The wall structure and chemistry.
• The lipids that make up the membrane
• The metabolism
• Many members of this kingdom are extremophiles that
is they live in extreme environments, including water
whose temperature exceeds that of boiling water such as
hot spring geysers and sub sea vents.
• They are very diverse, both in form and function. Some
are uni-cellular, while others form colonial arrangements.
Eubacteria
• The eubacteria are microscopic and relatively simple
cells.
• They lack the nucleus and organelles of the more
complex eukaryotes; however, like the cells of plants,
most possess a cell wall.
• After the "archae," true bacteria are the oldest type of
organism on Earth, and also the most abundant.
• They exist in soil, water, and as parasites of other
organisms.
• Species and strains of bacteria cause many if not most
non-hereditary diseases.
Protista
• The Kingdom Protista or Protoctista is one of the
commonly recognized biological kingdoms. They include
all the eukaryotes except for the plants, fungi, animals,
and sometimes other groups which are
• treated in separate kingdoms. There are a few forms that
are multicellular, for example the brown and red algae.
• Most though are single-celled organisms, and are
typically only 0.01-0.5 mm in size, too small to be seen
without a microscope.
• Protists are widespread throughout wet environments
and the soil.
• Theyare able to survive dry periods by forming cysts; a
few others are significant parasites.
• Traditionally they have been separated into:
• Plant-like forms that contain chloroplasts, the
algae;
• Fungus-like forms, the slime molds and water
molds;
• Animal-like forms, the protozoa, generally
divided on the basis of structure These being:
–
–
–
–
Flagellates (e.g. Euglena)
Amoeboids (e.g. Amoeba)
Apicomplexa
Ciliates (e.g. Paramecium)
• The Fungi (singular: fungus) are a large group of
organisms.
• They include important decomposers and many
parasites.
• Parasitic fungi infect animals, including us, other
mammals, birds, and insects, with results varying from
mild itching to death.
• Other parasitic fungi infect plants, causing disease such
as Potato Blight.
• Many vascular plants are associated with mutualistic
fungi, called mycorrhizae, which help with the absorption
of nutrients and water. Some fungi are used as food,
such as mushrooms and truffles; others are very
poisonous and can cause death if eaten.
• Most fungi have vegetative bodies (called a
thallus or soma) that is made up of single cellthick filaments called hyphae.
• Generally they do not merge into a visible object,
but instead form a microscopic network within
the substrate, called the mycelium, through
which food is absorbed.
• The fungi are absorptive heterotrophs.
• The more conspicuous parts of fungi like
mushrooms are fruiting bodies, reproductive
structures that produce spores.
• This term is considerably more difficult to define
than we might think.
• Our natural inclination is to regard plant as
meaning a multicellular, eukaryotic organism
that generally does not have sense organs or
the ability to move and has, when complete, a
root, stem, and leaves.
• We have to acknowledge thought that only one
group, vascular plants, have "a root, stem, and
leaves".
• Granted the more common plants that we
encounter on a daily basis would be the vascular
ones.
• Another, much broader (more inclusive)
definition for plant is that it refers to anything that
is photoautotrophic — that is, it is able to make
its own food from light energy.
• This is a reasonable definition, and one that
focuses on the role plants typically play in an
ecosystem.
• Yet we must remember that there are
photoautotrophs among the Prokaryotes,
specifically photoautotrophic bacteria and
cyanophytes. These are often referred to as the
blue-green algae.
Animalia
• Animals are the group of organisms that
make up the kingdom Animalia.
• Usually, they are multicellular and capable
of both locomotion and responding to their
surroundings.
• Unlike plants, animals do not
photosynthesize, rather they consume
their food: they are ingestive heterotrophs.