Kingdom Protista, Part 1
General Characteristics Eukaryotic Unicellular (to colonial) Autotrophic or Heterotrophic Appeared about 1.5 BYA
Classified into 3 main groups 1. Animal-like… heterotrophs capable of locomotion 2. Plant-like… photosynthetic autotrophs 3. Fungus-like… decomposers that reproduce by spores Some protists may exhibit more than one characteristic, such as... ….it is possible to be both animal-like and plant-like.
Animal-like Protists (26-2) classified by method of movement
Phylum Rhizopoda (formerly Sarcodina) : ex. Amoeba
The Amoeba uses pseudopodia for locomotion.
The Amoeba in 3D – notice the pseudopods
Amoeba surround and engulf their food… the process is called phagocytosis.
An Amoeba eating a Paramecium.
Ciliophora all use cilia for movement have many specialized structures, including mouths, anal pores, contractile vacuoles, and two nuclei (a large macronucleus and small micronuclei) Ex. – Paramecium and Stentor
Phylum Ciliophora: ex. Paramecium
3D view – taken by a scanning electron microscope
A closer look at the Cilia…. its means of locomotion
another Ciliate: Stentor
Phylum Zoomastigophora have flagella some species of zooflagellates have mutualistic relationships ex.- Trichonympha digests cellulose in the guts of termites
Others are parasites, like Trypanosoma, which causes African Sleeping Sickness (coma).
Trypanosoma
Tsetse Fly: carries Trypanosoma to humans; in other words, it’s a Vector White Blood Cell Red Blood Cells Trypanosoma
Phylum Sporozoa are parasites have no means of locomotion form spores that are dispersed by one or more hosts ex. Plasmodium, which causes malaria
Portions of the Life Cycle of Plasmodium vivax It’s Vector: Anopheles Mosquito Plasmodium vivax Red Blood Cells
Phylum Foraminifera have a protective shell or TEST, usually made of calcium carbonate layers of tests can deposit on the ocean floor –these can form limestone and chalk, like the White Cliffs of Dover –Some species of forams are good indicators of oil deposits below
Cliffs of Dover