Protists Kingdom
Habitat
-Most protists are aquatic (but some in soil).
-Plankton are organisms that drift or swim near the
surface of the water. Phytoplankton are
responsible for half of the world’s photosynthesis
and O2 production.
Characteristics
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Eukaryote
Unicellular, colonial, multicellular
Autotrophic to heterotrophic, some are both
Three main groups:
– Plant-like: Algae (producers, photosynthic) &
seaweed
– Animal-like: Protozoa (consumers)
– Fungal-like: slime-molds (consumers)
Algae
• Plant-like - phytoplankton/ photosynthesis
• Classified by type of pigment
– Diatoms: shelled algae
– Chlorophyta: green algae
– Euglenophyta: euglena
– Dinoflagellata: red tide
– Chrysophyta: golden algae
– Phaeophyta: brown algae
– Rhodophyta: red algae
Chlorophyta
Green algae
• Unicellular to multicellular
• Some seaweed
Euglenophyta
Euglenophyta
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Unicellular
Both photosynthetic & heterotrophic
Moves by a flagella
Has an eyespot (moves toward light)
Chlorphyta
Green Algae
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8000 species
9o% freshwater
10% seaweeds (tropical)
Ancestor of land plants (spirogyra)
Diatoms
• Unicellular
• Covered with a silica
shell
Water filters
Diatoms
• Diatomite is used as an insulating material against
both heat and sound,
• in making dynamite and other explosives,
• for filters,
• abrasives,
• Diatoms have deposited most of the earth’s
limestone
• petroleum is of diatom origin.
Dinoflagellates
• dinoflagellates are important constituents of
plankton, and as such are primary food
sources in warmer oceans. Many forms are
phosphorescent
Red Tide (Fire Algae)
bioluminiscence
Rhodaphyta
Red algae
• role in building reefs
Multicellular
Deep water
Seaweed
Human food
source
Phaeophyta
Brown algae
• Multicellular
Sargassum & Kelp
Protozoa
animal-like
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Unicellular
Classified by movement
Heterotrophs
30,000 species
flagella
Ciliates
Amoeboid
Brain-Eating Amoeba
Thrives in Warm,
Fresh Water
The dangerous
amoeba has killed
three people this
summer.