Science Notes: Single Celled Organisms
What are Amoebas?
Name:______________________________________
Amoebas are single-celled organisms
All the amoebas of the same species will unattach
from the bottom or plants and float around until they
land in a new place and re-attach. Amoebas can be
found in water, including lakes, ponds, streams,
rivers, and puddles.
How do the Amoeba Move?
The pseudopod is used to help the amoeba move, and
also to eat. This part of the amoeba's body can stretch
out and pull itself with.
How/What does the Amoeba Eat?
To eat, the amoeba stretches out the pseudopod,
surrounds a piece of food, and pulls it into the rest of
the amoeba's body. Amoebas eat algae, bacteria,
other protozoans, and tiny particles of dead plant or
animal matter.
How does and Amoeba Reproduce?
Amoebas reproduce (make more amoebas) by a
process called binary fission. This means that one
amoeba can split in half and make two identical new
amoebas.
-This is asexual reproduction.
What is a Euglena?
Euglenas are single celled organisms which are
combination of plant and animal.
-They can make their own food like a plant, but they
can also eat other things, like an animal. They can
also swim and move.
How does a Euglena Move?
The Euglena uses a long hair-like thing that stretches
from its body, called a flagellum.
How and what does the Euglena Eat?
-It has a red eyespot that it uses to locate light.
Without light, it cannot use its chloroplasts (green
parts inside the body) to make itself food. Algae are
a source of chloroplasts. They also eat amoeba and
paramecium.
How does a Euglena Reproduce?
Asexually through Mitosis (Splits in half)
Science Notes: Single Celled Organisms
What is a Paramecium?
Name:______________________________________
-The most commonly observed protozoans which has
an oval, slipper shaped micro-organism, rounded at
the front/top and pointed at the back/bottom. They
live in aquatic environments, usually in stagnant,
warm water
How does a Paramecium Move?
The paramecium swims by beating the cilia. The
paramecium moves by spiraling through the water
What are the feeding habits of Paramecium?
Paramecium feed on microorganisms like bacteria,
algae, and yeasts
-They play a role in the carbon cycle because the
bacteria they eat are often found on decaying plants.
-They will also eat the decaying plant matter further
aiding decomposition.
How do the Paramecium Reproduce?
Paramecium are capable of both sexual and asexual
reproduction.
What is a Volvox?
Volvox are one-celled algae called ciliates that live
together in a colony, and can be found in fresh pond
water.
How Does the Volvox Move?
Volvox is a green algae which exists as a grand
spherical colony. Each little algae within the colony
holds two flagella, whip-like hair. The algae are
connected to each other by thin strands of cytoplasm
which help the whole colony to swim in a organized
manner.
What does a Volvox Eat?
-The volvox eat algae and many different kinds of
plants.
-Volvox also produce food by photosynthesis
-To find its food the Volvox shifts through the water
by using its flagella.
How does the Volvox Reproduce?
Volvox cell reproduces asexually as well as sexually.