Question

In Whittaker’s classification, non-nucleated unicellular organism/ prokaryotes are included under
A. Plantae
B. Monera
C. Protista
D. Animalia

Answer 1

Hint: R.H. Whittaker in 1969 gave five kingdom classifications which include:
1. Monera
2. Protista
3. Fungi
4. Plantae
5. Animalia
The main criteria were cell structure, thallus organization, mode of nutrition, reproduction, Phylogenetic relationship.

Complete answer:
Whittaker’s proposed five kingdom classifications which include Monera, protista, Fungi, Plantae and animalia.
According to the question, Whittaker's classification includes non nucleated unicellular organisms or we can say prokaryotes and all these features are included in kingdom monera.

Kingdom monera includes bacteria and they are the most abundant microorganisms.
Bacteria live in extreme habitats such as hot springs, deserts, snow and deep oceans.
Bacteria are grouped into four categories based on their shape
1. Coccus- spherical shape.
2. Bacillus- Rod shape
3. Vibrium- Comma shaped
4. Spirillum- Spiral shape

Bacteria show extreme metabolic diversity. Cell wall is made up of non cellulosic which include polysaccharide and amino acids. Nuclear membrane is absent in this Kingdom. They have cellular type of body organization. Some bacteria are autotrophic in nature that means they can prepare their own food from inorganic substrates. They may be photosynthetic autotrophic or chemosynthetic autotrophic. But the vast majority of bacteria are heterotrophic in nature that means they do not synthesize their own food but depend on other organisms or on dead organic material for food.

All the bacteria possess lipo proteinaceous plasma membranes.
Some other types of bacteria included in kingdom monera are:
1. Archaebacteria
2. Eubacteria

Hence, the correct answer is option (B).

Note: The taxon Monera was first proposed as a phylum by Ernst Haeckel in 1866. Subsequently, the phylum was elevated to the rank of kingdom in 1925 by Edouard Chatton. The last commonly accepted mega-classification with the taxon Monera was the five-kingdom classification system established by Robert Whittaker in 1969.