Domain (biology)

In biology, a domain (also superregnum, superkingdom, or empire) is the top-level grouping of organisms in scientific classification, higher than a kingdom.

Related Topics:
Biology - Organism - Scientific classification - Kingdom

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Today there are several competing domain classifications of life:

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• The three-domain system of Carl Woese, introduced in 1990, with top-level groupings of Archaea, Eubacteria, and Eukaryota domains.
• The two-empire system, with top-level groupings of Prokaryota (or Monera) and Eukaryota empires.
• The five-kingdom system with top-level groupings of Protista, Monera, Fungi, Plantae, and Animalia.