KINGDOM PROTISTA The Protists General Characteristics Usually unicellular

KINGDOM PROTISTA The Protists!

General Characteristics • Usually uni-cellular – Generally live as individuals, some form colonies • Eukaryotes (contain a nucleus) • Most live in watery environments • Some autotrophs (plant-like), some heterotrophs (animal/fungus-like) • Most likely evolved after bacteria

Animal-like Protists • • PROTOZOANS Lack a cell wall Heterotrophs Mobile

Protozoan Groups • 1) Sarcodines: -use “pseudopod” for movement and food gathering *pseudopod- “false foot”- extension of cytoplasm and cell membrane -some have protective “shells” Ex. Amoeba

Protozoan Groups • 2) Ciliates: – Use “cilia” for movement and food gathering • Cilia- hairlike projections – Two kinds of nuclei: • Large- life functions • Small- conjugation (reproduction) – Ex. Paramecium

Protozoan Groups • 3) Zooflagellates: – Use “flagella” (1 -8) for movement – Responsible for some diseases and digestion of some materials – Ex. Trichonympha

Protozoan Groups • 4) Sporozoans: – Can’t move on own, form “spores” to move from host to host – Parasitic (feeds on cells and fluids of host) – Ex. Plasmodium (causes malaria)

Plant-like Protists • aka ALGAE • Autotrophs (photosynthetic)- contain chloroplasts • Produce Oxygen • Some have flagella

Uni-cellular Algae • 1) Euglenophytes – Pouch with two flagella – No cell wall (pellicle- tough, flexible membrane) – Reproduce asexually – Reddish eyespot – Ex. Euglena

Uni-cellular Algae • 2) Dinoflagellates – Some heterotrophs – Usually two flagella – Covered in cellulose plates – Many luminescent

Uni-cellular Algae • Chrysophytes – Gold-colored chloroplasts – Not all cell walls contain cellulose – Store food as oil – Reproduce sexually and asexually

Uni-cellular Algae • Diatoms – Many shapes due to silica in cell walls – Used in car polish and toothpaste

Multi-cellular Algae • Phylum Rhodophyta (Red Algae) – Can live at great depths due to special pigments – Lack flagella – Ex. Irish Moss (algae)

Multi-cellular Algae • Phylum Phaeophyta (Brown Algae) – Contains special brown pigment (dark yellow to brown in color) – Some have “bladders” for floating – Ex. Giant Kelp

Multi-cellular Algae • Phylum Chlorophyta (Green Algae) – Cellulose in cell walls – Chlorophyll is main pigment – Usually live as single cells, can form colonies

Fungus-like Protists • Characteristics – Heterotrophs – Most have cell walls – Complex life cycle • Some amoeba-like • Some use flagella • Some produce spores

Fungus-like Protist Groups • Slime Molds: – Moist, flat blobs – Reproduce by producing a fruiting body with spores • Each spore can develop into a new organism

Life Cycle of Slime Molds Spore Sm. Ameba-like cell Lg. cell w/ many nuclei Spores produced OR Spore Sm. Ameba-like cell Mass of cells Spores produced

Fungus-like Protist Groups • Water Molds – White, fuzzy (grows on dead fish, etc. ) – Sexual and asexual phases of life cycle