Kingdom Protista
Most diverse kingdom
Characteristics
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Eukaryotic (has a nucleus)
Unicellular/ Multicellular
Autotrophic/Heterotrophic
Can be Animal-like, Plant-like, and
Fungus-like
First Eukaryotes on planet (Name in
Greek means ‘the very first’)
May reproduce using binary fission,
conjugation, or sexual reproduction.
Animal-like Protists – Protozoans
(Zoa = Animal)
• They feed on other organisms or dead
matter (heterotrophs).
• Protozoans consists of Ciliates,
Flagellates, Sporozoa, and Sarcodina.
Ciliates
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Ciliates use cilia for movement and
feeding.
Found in freshwater and seawater
They are free-living
Phylum: Ciliophora
Example: Paramecium
Reproduce asexually through mitosis or
‘sexually’ through conjugation.
They can use contractile vacuoles to
control water flow.
Flagellates
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Flagellates use flagella to move.
Phylum Zoomastigina
They absorb nutrients through the cell
membrane.
Found in lakes and streams; some live in the
bodies of other organisms
Example: Trichonympha (live in the stomachs of
termites)
Helps termites break down cellulose that is found
in the wood.
Trypanosoma is a parasite that causes sleeping
sickness (Get from the bite of a tsetse fly)
Sporozoa
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Sporozoa are non mobile.
These are parasitic and produce
spores.
Some are free living, some are
parasites.
Reproduce by sporozoites.
Example: Plasmodium which causes
malaria in humans. It is carried by the
female Anopheles mosquito.
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Sarcodina
Sarcodina use pseudopodia (false feet) for
feeding and movement.
Their movements are called ameboid movements.
Found in freshwater, oceans and some in soil.
Phylum Sarcodina
Reproduction through mitosis
They can capture and digest food in food
vacuoles;
A few are parasitic – Entamoeba hystolitica
(causes dysentery)
Example: Amoeba
Foraminiferans – shells of calcium carbonate form
chalk deposits on the ocean floor – Cliffs of
Dover
Magnification: x65
Plant-like Protists
• They make their food by photosynthesis
(autotrophs).
• All are water dwellers – most found
near the water’s surface. (??)
• From microscopic (diatoms) to large,
multicellular forms such as kelp.
• Cells are eukaryotic.
• Some move by flagella while others
are non-motile.
Euglenophyta
Example: Euglena
•They are plant-like (have
chloroplasts), but move around with
flagella (animal-like).
•Both autotrophic and heterotrophic.
•Eyespot helps Euglena detect light.
(eyespot)
• Algae are classified into 5 groups according
to the pigments they contain.
• The pigments give the algae their characteristic
color.
• Despite the pigments, all algae have chlorophyll.
Chrysophyta: (Golden algae)
Example: Synura
Primarily found in freshwater.
Have pigments that give them a yellow, golden
color.
Some can form algal blooms that can kill fish.
2. Bacillariophyta
Example: Diatoms
• Unicellular
• Cell walls are made of silica
• Store food in the form of oils.
• Used to make toothpaste and metal polish.
• When they die, their shells accumulate on the
ocean floor to form diatomaceous earth.
Pyrrophyta: (fire protists) are luminescent and glow.
Sometimes look like a fire smoldering in the water.
Example: Dinoflagellates
Blooms of dinoflagellates can cause red tide which
release poisons that kill thousands of fish.
Rhodophyta: Red algae
Example: Seaweed
• Found in marine and some in fresh water.
• Can absorb blue light which penetrates
water more deeply – therefore red algae
grow deeper
under the ocean.
Phaeophyta: Brown algae
• Example: Kelp
• Kelp has air-filled structures called air bladders that
help keep the photosynthetic parts of the algae near
the water’s surface.
• Used by humans for food, cosmetics.
• Chlorophyta: Green algae
• Example: Chlamydomonas ,Volvox (live
as a colony), Spirogyra
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Most diverse of all the algae.
Some single celled, others are multicellular
Contain the same pigments that are found in plants.
Phytoplankton is a huge group of producers in the
marine food web.
• Produce O2
Fungus-like Protists
• All are heterotrophic
• Recyclers of organic matter/rotting
(saprophytic)
• Example: Slime Molds and Water Molds
• Some are parasites and can infest crops
for example potato famine caused by
potato blight
Dog vomit slime
Red raspberry slime