Protista Flashcards
Fungus like protists
Saprophytes
Absorb nutrients from living and dead organisms, as well as waste
Ex. Plasmidial slime mould, cellular slime mould, and water moulds
Protozoa
Animal-like Protista
Heterotrophs-consume other organisms for food such as prokaryotes and other protozoans
Ex. Cercozoans, ciliates, flagellates and sporozoans
Plant-like protists
Autotrophs
Contain pigments in their chloroplasts which allow them to carry out photosynthesis. This gives them a green colour.
Ex. Diatoms, dinoflagellates, and euglenoids
Cercozoa
Animal-like protists that can change shape using their internal cytoskeleton, and forming pseudopods or “false feet” for locomotion and feeding.
Ciliates
Protozoan/ animal-like protist
Has many short, hairlike projections called cilium used for locomotion and sweeping food particles alongside the cell surface to move them into the cell
Flagellates
Have one or more flagella that whips from side to side to move them about
Example of mutualistic relationship
Termites feed on wood, but find it difficult to digest the tough cellulose that makes up a big part of their diet so flagellates live in the digestive tract of the termite and produce enzymes that convert cellulose to sugar. In return, the flagellates receive a steady supply of nutrients and a warm cozy habitat to live in.
Sporozoan
Animal-like protist, sporozoa
Parasites, that alternate between sexual and asexual reproduction. They cause malaria in humans
Plasmidial slime mould
Fungus like protists
Cellular slime moulds
Fungus- like protists
Water moulds
Fungus like protists
Diatoms
Plant-like protist
Fall under the category of phytoplankton, which are an important source of food for larger marine organisms. Reproduce mostly through mitosis.
Dinoflagellates
Plant-like protists, also phytoplankton, have two flagella, and move by spinning through water
Euglenoids
Plant-like protists. In sunlight they are autotrophs and in the dark they are heterotrophs. Are green as a result of chloroplasts.
