Kingdom (biology)

The kingdom ( Regnum ) has long been the highest classification category of living things.

Originally distinction was made in the taxonomy only between animals ( Animalia ) and plants (Plantae). Later, single-celled organisms came under the name of protists ( Protista ) to do so. Thereafter, the separated fungus ( fungi ) of the plants. Finally, a fundamental distinction between unicellular eukaryotes, eukaryotes ( Eukaryota ) and those without a nucleus, prokaryotes ( Monera Prokaryota = ) was introduced in the mid -20th century. As a last resort, the archaea ( Archaea) were given their own realm. The protists were again differentiated in Stramenopile (or chromists ) and protozoa.

Through studies of nucleic acids, came in the last years of the last century to a new classification, which is introduced the domain as the highest category to the fundamental difference between archaebacteria ( now Archaea ( Archaea) called ) and Eubacteria ( now simply as bacteria (Bacteria ) refers ) also taxonomically documented. The creatures were divided into three domains: Bacteria, Archaea and Eucarya.

The kingdom can be divided even in sub- realms ( Subregna ). The following hierarchy is the root ( Phylum ) or the Department ( divisions ).

Tabular comparison of various proposed taxonomies:

In eukaryotes a newer grouping has prevailed that maps the classical kingdoms of animals, fungi and plants, their related groups within the previous protists. Strictly speaking it does not belong thus to the taxonomy since they will skip the rank of " Empire ". The six most known as super groups ( supergroups ) taxa are:

• Amoebozoa, certain amoeba -like slime molds and
• Opisthokonta to which, inter alia, Animals and fungi are
• Rhizaria, amoeba -like protists with pseudopods ( pseudopodia )
• Archaeplastida, land plants, green algae, red algae, including
• Chromalveolata, many algae, for example, brown algae
• Excavata, various protists with flagella

For two supergroups the classification of domains of Woese, Kandler, and Wheelis (1990 ) is preferred:

• Bacteria
• Archaea