Who gave five kingdom classification ? On which criteria it was based and mention its main characteristics or merits ? 

Explanation

R.H.Whittaker (1969) proposed a five kingdom classification.
The kingdoms defined by him were named Monera, Protista, Fungi, Plantae and Animalia.
The main criteria for classification used by Whittaker :
(i) Cell structure (ii) Mode of nutrition (iii) Thallus organisation (iv) Reproduction
(v) Phylogenetic relationships,
Table below gives a comparative account of different characteristics of the five kingdoms.