ARCHAEAL-EUBACTERIAL MERGERS IN THE ORIGIN OF EUKARYA - PHYLOGENETIC CLASSIFICATION OF LIFE

A symbiosis-based phylogeny leads to a consistent, useful classificati on system for all life, ''Kingdoms'' and ''Domains'' are replaced by b iological names for the most inclusive taxa: Prokarya (bacteria) and E ukarya (symbiosis-derived nucleated organisms), The earliest Eukarya, anaerobic mastigotes, hypothetically originated from permanent whole-c ell fusion between members of Archaea (e.g., Thermoplasma-like organis ms) and of Eubacteria (e.g., Spirochaeta-like organisms). Molecular bi ology, life-history, and fossil record evidence support the reunificat ion of bacteria as Prokarya while subdividing Eukarya into uniquely de fined subtaxa: Protoctista, Animalia, Fungi, and Plantae.