Video Transcript
Which of the following correctly
states the five kingdoms? (A) Animals, plants, fungi,
protists, and viruses. (B) Animals, plants, fungi,
protists, and prokaryotes. (C) Animals, plants, fungi,
bacteria, and prokaryotes. (D) Animals, plants, algae,
protists, and prokaryotes. (E) Animals, plants, fungi, birds,
and microorganisms.
This question asks us to correctly
state the five kingdoms of life. Let’s first recall that Carl
Linnaeus first proposed a classification around 1735. Before this time, living organisms
were classified based on observable characteristics but without clear scientific
standards, which resulted in a chaotic and disorganized classification. In the Linnaeus system, the kingdom
is the largest group from which all other classifications arise. This hierarchy is still used in
modern taxonomy. It moves from kingdom, the broadest
group, to phylum, then class, order, family, genus, and finally species.
What is important to note here is
that when Linnaeus first proposed this method of classification, he determined that
there were only two kingdoms for living organisms: plants and animals. However, in 1975, a scientist named
Robert Whittaker reassessed this classification. He proposed a new method of
classification using criteria based on observations of the macroscopic and
microscopic structures. These criteria were the cell
structure, the body organization, the modes of nutrition and reproduction, and
finally the phylogenetic relationships between species. Using these criteria, Robert
Whittaker’s classification resulted in five kingdoms: prokaryotes, also called
monera; protists; fungi; plants; and animals.
The monera kingdom includes all
single-cell organisms that do not contain a nucleus or membrane-bound organelle. Those organisms are called
prokaryotes. The remaining four kingdoms, which
are plants, animals, fungi, and protists, all include eukaryotic organisms that
possess a nucleus in their cells. Because the current classification
system still includes five kingdoms today, this is the information we will use to
answer our question.
Therefore, answer (B) is
correct. It includes the five kingdoms of
life that are recognized in the current classification: animals, plants, fungi,
protists, and prokaryotes.
