Encyclopedia of Biology

kingdom Taxonomic name used to organize, classify,
and identify plants and animals. There are five taxo-
nomic kingdoms: Monera, Protista, Plantae, Fungi, and
Animalia. Only the domain is higher in ranking. This
system of ranking, called the Linnaean system, was
developed by the Swedish scientist Carolus Linnaeus
(1707–78), who developed a two-name system, bino-
mial nomenclature (genus and species), for identifying
and classifying all living things. The system is based on
a hierarchical structure in which organisms are sorted
by kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, and
species. Organisms belonging to the same kingdom do
not have to be very similar, but organisms belonging to

the same species are very similar and can reproduce

and create offspring.

See alsoTAXON.

kinocilium Along cilium at the apex of a hair cell,

along with other microvilla, that is used in the process

of hearing. It senses movement of cupula and is impor-

tant for balance.

kinship The act of organizing individuals into social

groups, roles, and categories based on parentage, mar-

riage, or other criteria.

188 kingdom

Cnidaria (i.e.

jellyfish, sea

anemones,

corals)

*Animalia

Annelida

(segmented worms)

Echinodermata

(e.g. starfish,

sea urchins,

Porifera brittlestars)

(sponges)

Platyhelminthes

(flatworms)

Mollusca Arthropoda Chordata

Turbellaria

(planarians)

Trematoda

(flukes)

Cestoda

(tapeworms)

Oligochaeta

(earthworms)

Polychaeta

(lugworms)

Hirudinea

(leeches)

Gastropoda

(e.g. snails,

slugs)

Pelecypoda

(e.g. oysters,

mussels, clams)

Cephalopoda

(e.g. squids,

octopuses)

Arachnida

(e.g. spiders,

scorpions,

mites)

Crustacea

(e.g. shrimps,

crabs, lobsters)

Insecta^

(insects, e.g. bugs,

beetles, bees, flies)

Chilopoda

(centipedes)

Diplopoda

(millipedes)

Agnatha

(jawless fish, e.g.

lampreys, hagfish)

Chondrichthyes

(cartilaginous fish,

e.g. sharks, rays)

Osteichthyes

(bony fish)

Amphibia

(e.g. frogs,

toads)

Reptilia

(e.g. crocodiles,

snakes, lizards)

Aves

(birds) Mammalia

Dipnoi

(lungfish)

Teleostei

(e.g. salmon,

plaice, eel)

Prototheria

(monotremes,

e.g. duckbilled

platypus)

Metatheria

(marsupial

mammals,

e.g. kangaroo,

wombat)

Eutheria

(placental

mammals,

e.g. carnivores,

bats, whales,

rodents, ungulates,

primates)

*Only major phyla and classes are shown

Nematoda

(roundworms)

The animal kingdom is one of five taxonomic groupings of living organisms, the others being Monera, Protista, Plantae, and Fungi.