2015-05-28
Sometimes called protozoans (“first animals”).
Protists are eukaryotic (cells with a nucleus)
and almost always unicellular.
They have many different methods of living.
Some are animalanimal-like, some are plantplant-like,
and some are fungusfungus-like.
If an eukaryotic organism does not fit in to
the Kingdoms Animalia, Plantae, or Fungi, it
is put into the Kingdom Protista.
Heterotrophic (rely on other organisms as
food sources).
Divided into phyla by way they move.
Hemoflagellates
Known as zooflagellates.
zooflagellates.
Use a pseudopod (extensions of the cell) for
feeding and movement.
Have one or two flagellum (whip(whip-like
structures used for propulsion).
Move by extending pseudopod then follows
it.
Reproduce asexually.
Feeds by engulfing food particles.
Amoeba
Paramecium
Known as “ciliates” because of presence of
many hairhair-like structures called cilia.
cilia.
Cilia used for feeding and movement.
Cilia beat like miniature oars and move the
cell around or move food closer to the
protist.
protist.
1
2015-05-28
Do not move on their own.
Plasmodium (causes
malaria)
Parasitic.
Photosynthetic (use light for energy source).
Use chlorophyll and/or other pigments for
photosynthesis.
MalariaMalaria-causing protists are in this phylum.
Other serious diseases too.
Euglena
Have two flagella.
Diverse group of plantplant-like protists.
No cell wall.
Have goldgold-coloured pigments for
photosynthesis).
photosynthesis).
Autotrophs,
Autotrophs, but otherwise similar to
zooflagellates.
zooflagellates.
Cell walls might contain pectin instead of or
in addition to cellulose.
Have an eyespot to find sunlight.
Known as diatoms.
Create twotwo-sided shells of silicon.
Can be intricate and beautiful.
Some autotrophic, some heterotrophic.
2
2015-05-28
AKA dinoflagellates.
dinoflagellates.
Many of these protists are multicellular.
Some autotrophic, some heterotrophic.
Often mistaken for plants.
Generally have two flagella that can wrap
around the organism.
Colour is due to the type of photosynthetic
pigment the organism uses.
Some are luminescent (create light).
Appear dark yellow or brown.
Able to live at great depths
because they are efficient at
harvesting penetrating light
from the sun.
Giant kelp can reach 60 m. in length.
Attached to bottom of ocean to stay in
one place.
Complex life cycle.
cycle.
Agar comes from these
organisms.
Share many characteristic with plants
– use the same pigments, have
cellulose in cell walls, and use starch
as food storage.
storage.
◦ It is thought that plants evolved from this
group of protists.
protists.
Some are unicellular, some are
multicellular or colonial (individual
cells that live together).
Complex life cycles.
3
2015-05-28
Absorb nutrients from dead and decaying
organisms like fungi do.
Known as “cellular slime molds”.
Important for recycling organic matter.
No cell walls (or cell walls composed of
substances different from fungi).
Retain features of individual cells throughout
lifetime.
Live in damp, “gross” environments.
Acellular slime molds.
“Water molds.”
Join together and lose cell membranes,
forming a large structure with many nuclei
called a plasmodium.
plasmodium.
Form sporespore-bearing structures that resemble
fungi structures.
Cell walls of cellulose.
Plasmodia can be several meters across.
Decomposers in water; plant parasites on
land (caused the great Irish Potato famine).
Refer to text sections for more info.
◦ 2020-2 pg. 499
◦ 2020-3 pg. 506
◦ 2020-4 pg. 510
◦ 2020-5 pg. 516
4