Around 1.7 billion years ago, a branch of protozoa, an advanced branch of the eukaryote cells, split into animals, plants, and fungi. These three separate lineages are the ancestors of modern plants, fungi and animals.
- 1.7 billion years ago: Plants diverge from the common protozoa ancestor.
- 1.5 billion years ago: Fungi and animal branch emerges.
- 1.3 billion years ago: Fungi diverge from the common fungi-animal ancestor.
Later animals evolve into the animal kingdom which includes mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, insects, crustaceans, arachnids, echiniderms, worms, mollusks, and sponges.
- Domain: Eukaryota > Kingdom: Protista (or ancestral eukaryotes)
(New Kingdoms: Animalia, Plantae, and Fungi)