In biology, a phylum (/ˈfaɪləm/ ; plural: phyla) is a taxonomic rank below kingdom and above class. Traditionally, in botany the term division was used instead of phylum, although from 1993 the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants accepted the designation phylum.The kingdom Animalia contains approximately 35 phyla, Plantae contains 12, and Fungi contains 7. definition of a phylum based on body plan has been proposed by paleontologists Graham Budd and Soeren Sören (jensen As haeckel had done a century). earlier