The revised higher level classification of eukaryotes

Abstract

The International Society of Protistologists (ISOP) published a new classification of eukaryotes using ‘supergroups’ in 2005, which was subsequently revised in 2012. The revised classification now reflects the knowledge of protist evolution, reintroduces some formality with group names and their authority, and provides a point of reference for protist systematics. In the present review, the ISOP's revised classification with five supergroups is compared with a hierarchical classification of the Catalogue of Life (CoL)'s database and then the significance of the following three main points are explained: (i) the Chromalveolata hypothesis was rejected and the supergroup SAR was accepted, (ii) Amorphea (including mainly Amoebozoa and Opisthokonta) was proposed, and (iii) Diaphoretickes (including mainly SAR, Archaeplastida, and a group once called “Hacrobia”) with the exception of Excavata was also proposed.