Protists
Protists are single or multi-celled organisms
That live in wet environments.
They have eukaryotic cells
They reproduce asexually.
The biggest difference between protists is
how they get food.
Protists can be:
1. Animal-like (get food from outside source)
2. Plant-like (make own food)
3. Fungus-like (digest decayed material)
Animal-like Protists are known as protozoa.
They live in many different places. Some are
parasites, which means that they live on or
in another organism.
Animal-like protists are put into different
groups based on how they move.
A. Rhizopods- move using pseudopods,
which are arm-like extensions of their
cytoplasm
Ex. Amoeba
An amoeba may never have the same shape
twice!
B. Flagellates - move using a whip-like tail
called a flagella
Ex. - Trypanosoma
Flagellates may have one or more flagella.
C. Ciliates - move by waving short, hair-like
structures called cilia
Ex.- Paramecium
D. Sporozoans - have no way of moving
on their own, so they are parasites that live
in and feed on animal blood; can be diseasecausing
Ex.- malaria
Plant-like Protists all make their own food using
sunlight.
They are green because they contain
Chlorophyll.
The process of making their own food is called
Photosynthesis.
Plant-like protists are known as algae.
Plant-like Protists are grouped by how they
store food and by color.
A. Euglenas 1. Have an “eyespot” that is light sensitive
2. Can make or get food
3. Most move with flagella
4. One-celled
B.Diatoms 1. Make own food
2. One-celled
3. Store food as oil
4. Covered by a shell
C. Dinoflagellates 1. Move in a spinning motion
2. Store food as starch and oil
3. Live in saltwater
D. Green Algae 1. One or many celled
2. Stores food as starch
3. Live in many environments
E. Red Algae 1. Most are many-celled
2. Used as a “thickener” in products
F. Brown Algae 1. Many-celled
2. People eat this
Fungus-like Protists get energy by
decomposing dead or decaying materials.
A. Slime molds 1. Can move using pseudopods
2. Live in moist, shady places
B. Water molds and Mildew Grow as a mass of threads over the
organism they are feeding on