Characteristics of Protista
Organisms placed under the Kingdom Protista are generally unicellular, however, some are multicellular, or colonial organisms, they are either free-living or parasitic, they use the mitochondria for cellular respiration and aerobic respiration, and they can reproduce both sexually and asexually.
Protozoans
Protozoans are classified based on the way that they move. Many Protozoans have advanced evolved Cilia (hair like fibers) or Flagella(a big tail) which help them move . Where others, such as, the amoeba use a pseudopodia to move around by stretching its cytoplasm “pulling” itself forward to its next destination. They reproduce asexually through binary fission and sexual reproduction through Meiosis and haploid and gamete formation. Some are parasites, which can cause many diseases such as African Sleeping sickness (Zoomastigna). They are found almost everywhere involving water- soil, swamps, ponds, oceans, and rivers. Many protozoans get there food as parasites. Others use their pseudopods to catch their own food.
Leishmania
Leishmania (from the Sporozoa phyla)
Sporozoa:
Sporozoa:
- Parasites
- lack of cilia and/or flagella
- get nutrients by absorbing organic molecules
Paramecium
paramecium (from the Ciliophora phyla)
Ciliophora:
Ciliophora:
- They have a structures called trichocysts
- Live in fresh and salt water environments
- Covered in cilia
- A contractile vacuole is common in the Ciliophora phyla
Typanosoma
Typanosoma (fromt the Zoomastigna phyla)
Zoomastigna
Zoomastigna
- Can live in a freshwater or marine environment
- Has one (or more) flagella
Amoeba
Amoeba (from the Sarcondina phyla)
Sarcondina
Sarcondina
- No outside structure
- They form pseudopods
- Can live in a freshwater and marine environment
Algae
Color and complexity is how algae is classified. Algae is plant like and grows underwater, and in moist and damp places whether it be in the ocean, in a river, in a lake, in a puddle or moist dirt. Algae uses both asexual and sexual reproduction. Some algae's have chlorophyll a and b, and they stores starch as a product. They have 2 chloroplasts membranes. They are plant-like group of protists that can make their own food.
Codium fragile
Codium fragile (from Chlorophyta phyla)
Chlorophyta
Chlorophyta
- Green
- Live in large colonies
- multicellular
Kelp
Kelp (from Phaeophyta phlya)
Phaeophyta
Phaeophyta
- Brown
- Attaches to bottom of sea floor
- Has air bladders so it float while connected to bottom
- Can live in deeper waters
Atractophora hypnoides
Atractophora hypnoides (from Rhodophyta phlya)
Rhodophyta
Rhodophyta
- Red algae
- Also classified as purple mauve orange and yellow
- Live in deep water colonies
Xanthophyta
Xanthophyta (from Chrysophyta phyla)
Chrysophyta
Chrysophyta
- Golden
- Live in freshwater
- Most are photosythetic
- Facultatively heterotrophic
Trachelomonas
Trachelomonas (from Euglenophyta phylum)
Euglenophyta
Euglenophyta
- Most live in freshwater
- Unicellular
- Has Flagella
- Has pellicle in outer part of cell to protect itself
Dimeregramma sp
Dimeregramma sp (from Diatom phyla)
Diatom
Diatom
- Unicellular eukaryotes
- See through with yellow tint
- Fresh or marine environments
Slime and Water Molds
These organisms exhibit properties of both fungi and protists. They all obtain energy by decomposing organic materials. They can be brightly colored and live in cool, moist, dark habitats. Slime molds have a plasmodium which is a mass of cytoplasm that contains many nuclei but has no cell walls or membranes to separate individual cells. It moves much like an amoeba, slowly sneaking along decaying organic material. They reproduce with spores. Slime molds have an amoeboid phagotrophic (feeding) phase of life cycle. Some have cell walls composed of cellulose.
Slime molds and water molds are from the protista family that resemble fungi. Many of the slime molds and water molds have bodies formed from thread-like structures called hyphae, which many fungi possess as well. However, several characteristics differentiate slime molds and water molds from fungi, including the fact that fungi have cell walls composed of chitin, while slime molds and water molds do not. Slime molds and water molds play an important role in the recycling of nutrients by digesting decaying organic material.
Slime molds and water molds are from the protista family that resemble fungi. Many of the slime molds and water molds have bodies formed from thread-like structures called hyphae, which many fungi possess as well. However, several characteristics differentiate slime molds and water molds from fungi, including the fact that fungi have cell walls composed of chitin, while slime molds and water molds do not. Slime molds and water molds play an important role in the recycling of nutrients by digesting decaying organic material.
Fuligo Septica
fuligo septica (from Acrasiomycota phyla)
Acrasiomycota
Acrasiomycota
- Colorful
- Found on logs, forest floor, soil
- Live in colonies
Trichia decipiens
Trichia decipiens (from Myxomycota phyla)
Myxomycota
Myxomycota
- grows on rotting vegetation
- Shaped "fruit bodies"
- Sometimes colorful
- Found in open forest, deserts, under snow, under water,
Plasmopara Viticola
Plasmopara Viticola (from Oomycota phyla)
Oomycota
Oomycota
- Reproduces a sexually using zoospores
- Consume decaying organic matter
- Famous for destroying Ireland's 1845 potato famine