The New Higher Level Classification of Eukaryotes with Emphasis on the Taxonomy of Protists

TLDR

The classification of unicellular eukaryotes is updated from Levine et al. (1980) to include other protists, integrating ultrastructural and molecular phylogenetic data. The study proposes a new classification scheme based on nameless ranked systematics. The taxonomy vocabulary is updated to clarify the naming of repositioned groups. The authors identify six eukaryotic clusters analogous to traditional kingdoms, with multicellular lineages arising from monophyletic protist groups such as Opisthokonta, Archaeplastida, and Stramenopiles.

Abstract

Abstract. This revision of the classification of unicellular eukaryotes updates that of Levine et al. (1980) for the protozoa and expands it to include other protists. Whereas the previous revision was primarily to incorporate the results of ultrastructural studies, this revision incorporates results from both ultrastructural research since 1980 and molecular phylogenetic studies. We propose a scheme that is based on nameless ranked systematics. The vocabulary of the taxonomy is updated, particularly to clarify the naming of groups that have been repositioned. We recognize six clusters of eukaryotes that may represent the basic groupings similar to traditional "kingdoms." The multicellular lineages emerged from within monophyletic protist lineages: animals and fungi from Opisthokonta, plants from Archaeplastida, and brown algae from Stramenopiles.