Animals, Plants, Fungi, Protoctists, Bacteria and Viruses

• Animals


  • Multicellular
  • Heterotrophs
  • Reproduce sexually
• Plants


  • Multicellular
  • Autotrophs (get energy from sun via photosynthesis)
  • Do not consume other organisms
• Fungi


  • Some are multicellular, some are unicellular
  • Heterotrophs (get energy from other organisms)
  • Use saprotrophic nutrition (secrete digestive enzymes, absorb nutrients)
  • Some have a mycelium body made of hyphae
• Protists


  • Mostly unicellular
  • Some are autotrophs (can photosynthesize), some are heterotrophs (consume other organisms)
  • Some are pathogens that can cause disease
• Bacteria


  • Unicellular
  • Some can photosynthesize but do not have chloroplasts
  • Most feed off living or dead organisms
  • Extremely numerous, more species than all other kingdoms combined
  • Some are pathogens that can cause disease, but most are harmless or beneficial
• Viruses


  • Not cells, just particles
  • Extremely small, can fit millions across a fingernail
  • Have a protein coat and genetic material (DNA or RNA) inside
  • Can only reproduce by infecting and using other living cells
  • All viruses are considered pathogens as they cause harm to host organisms
• Animals, plants, fungi, and protists are all eukaryotic organisms, meaning their cells have a nucleus and other membrane-bound organelles
• Bacteria are prokaryotic organisms, meaning their cells do not have a nucleus or membrane-bound organelles
• Viruses are not considered living organisms, as they cannot reproduce on their own and depend on infecting other cells