Virginia Institute of Marine Science, College of William & Mary Partnership between Educators and Researchers for Enhancing Classroom Teaching (GK-12 PERFECT) Funding source: National Science Foundation GK-12 grant no. DGE

Slime Molds Slime mold video 1. Slime mold video 2.

KINGDOM PROTISTA

Characteristics of Protista Nucleus with DNA and more than 1 chromosome Most have other organelles (mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi bodies, etc.) Reproduce by mitosis and/or meiosis

Parabasalids & Diplomonads Evolutionarily “primitive” eukaryotes –Poorly developed mitochondria and fewer organelles Flagellated Includes symbionts and parasites living in low O 2 environments –Giardia

Euglenoids & Kinetoplastids Thick, reinforced flagellum Euglena –Fresh and marine –Mostly autotrophs with chloroplasts

Kinetoplastids –Mostly parasites –African sleeping sickness

Forams & Radiolarians Both are mainly heterotrophs (most are marine) Foraminiferans –Calcium carbonate shells –Benthic (bottom dwelling) & planktonic Radiolarians –Silica shells –Planktonic

Alveolates Alveoli - small membrane bound sacs beneath the plasma membrane

Alveolates (ciliates) Aquatic Large component of the microzooplankon (< 200  m) Loricate (shell) and aloricate forms

Alveolates (flagellates) Apicomplexans (malaria) Dinoflagellates –Responsible for many harmful algal blooms –Marine and freshwater –Autotrophs, heterotrophs and mixotrophs –Cellulose plate covering –2 flagella –Bioluminescent formsBioluminescent forms

Stramenopiles Unique “bristled” flagella Most are autotrophs (photosynthetic) Chrysophytes – mostly phytoplankton Brown algae – kelp/seaweeds

Chrysophytes Coccolithophorids Calcium carbonate shells (coccoliths) Mainly marine

Chrysophytes Diatoms Silica shells Important marine and freshwater phytoplankton

Brown algae

Red and Green algae Various “seaweeds” Mainly multicellular Marine and freshwater Include closest relatives to land plants

Amoebozoa Closest relatives to animals and fungi Includes single celled amoebas and slime molds

Some more on HABs HAB video 1. HAB video 2.

Interesting tidbits More on slime molds.

Interesting tidbits If the smallest protist were size of a BB, what object might approximate the size of the largest?

Interesting tidbits Answer: approximately 13 Goodyear Blimps stacked end to end - largest would be ½ mile diameter Largest protist – 20 cm test (shell) Smallest protist – some phytoplankton 1  m diameter