Cyanobacteria and heterotrophic bacteria have been clubbed together in Eubacteria of kingdom Monera as per the “Five Kingdom Classification” even though the two are vastly different from each other. Is this grouping of the two types of taxa in the same kingdom justified? If so, why?
• Nutritionally, cyanobacteria and heterotrophic bacteria differ greatly. Cynobacteria are autotrophic, they synthesise their own food. Whereas heterotrophic bacteria depends on other organisms for food.
• But due to unicellular and prokaryotic nature of the organisms, both Cynobacteria and heterotrophic bacteria are categorised under Eubacteria of kingdom Monera.
• Hence the classification according to the cellular structure is justified.