Kingdom Protista:
The Protists
Objectives 4.03 & 4.04:
Disease-causing microorganisms & Parasites
Protists

Kingdom Protista – the most diverse Kingdom

Cell Type: Eukaryotic



Has a nucleus and membrane-bound organelles
Can be unicellular or multicellular
Energy Source: Can be heterotrophic or autotrophic
Reproduction

Can be asexual or sexual


Asexually by binary fission
Sexually by conjugation
 Exchange DNA through nucleus
3 Main Groups
 Animal-Like Protists (Protozoans):
Paramecium & Amoebas
 Plant-Like
Protists: Algae
 Fungus-Like
Molds
Protists: Water Molds/Slime
Animal-Like Protists
 They
are similar to animals in the following
ways:


No cell wall
No chloroplasts, which makes them heterotrophs
 They
are different than animals in the
following ways:

They are unicellular whereas animals are multicellular.
 Examples:
Paramecium & Amoebas
Paramecium
Cilia = tiny hairs that aid in movement
Amoeba
Adaptations of Animal-Like Protists

Pseudopodia:


“false foot”
An extension of the
cytoplasm that aids in
movement and capturing of
food

Contractile Vacuole


Pumps out excess water
Prevents bursting from
living in watery
environments
Plasmodium
 Animal-Like protist that causes malaria.
 Mosquito bites a person infected with malaria.
 The plasmodium enters the mosquito and
reproduces in the gut of the mosquito.
 Plasmodium enters mosquito’s salivary glands.
 Infects the next person the mosquito bites!
Plasmodia & Malaria
Plant-Like Protists

They are similar to plants in the following
ways:



They are different than plants in the
following ways:




Have cell wall
Have chloroplasts, which makes them
autotrophs
They are motile (can move)
Their cell walls are made of chitin, where plant
cells walls are made of cellulose
They have no roots, stems, or leaves
Examples: Algae & Euglena
Algae
Euglena
Flagella = tail for movement
Fungus-Like Protists
Fungus-Like Protists
 They are similar to fungi in the following
ways:



They are different than fungi in the following
ways:



Decompose organic material, which makes them
heterotrophs
Are motile
Have cell walls made of cellulose, where fungi
have cell walls made of chitin.
Examples: Slime molds, water molds
Slime Mold
Water Mold