Until recently, what were some ways to classify living organisms?

Question

Until recently, what were some ways to classify living organisms?

Accepted Answer

Like many things in science, a certain subject cannot always be explained one way—and the classification of living organisms is no exception. Until about the mid-1990s, the following represented one of the most commonly used classifications of organisms and their respective characteristics (it is still used in some literature):

Kingdom	Cell Type	Characteristics
Monera* (Bacterial and Archaean Kingdoms)	Prokaryotic	Single cells lacking distinct nuclei and other membranous organelles
Protista	Eukaryotic	Mainly unicellular or simple multicellular, some containing chloroplasts. Includes protozoa, algae, and slime molds
Fungi	Eukaryotic	Single-celled or multicellular, yeasts, not capable of photosynthesis
Plantae	Eukaryotic	Multicellular organisms with chloroplasts capable of photosynthesis
Animalia	Eukaryotic	Multicellular organisms, many with complex organ systems
*This division name is no longer in use.

Basics of Biology

Classification of Life

Until recently, what were some ways to classify living organisms?