PROTISTS
Chapter 2 Lesson 3
PROTISTS
A. Eukaryotes that cannot be classified as animals, plants or
fungi
B. A diverse group
 Most are unicellular
 Some are large, simple multicellular
 Some are heterotrophs
 Some are autotrophs
 Some are both heterotrophic & autotrophic
 Some can move
 Some cannot move
 All live in moist environments
ANIMAL-LIKE PROTISTS
A. Like animals:
 Heterotrophic
 Most can move
B. Unlike animals:
 Unicellular
C. Sarcodines
 Move with pseudopods ‘false foot’
 Slow moving via the cytoplasm flowing in a direction using the pseudopod
and then the rest of the body follows
 Ex. Amoeba
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRQTY_9Yekc
D. Flagelattes
 Protozoans that use one or more long whiplike flagella to move
 Ex. Giardia
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yIHkq9R5_c
E. Ciliates
 Use hundreds of hairlike projections, cilia, to move and feed
 Ex. Paramecium
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fh_yjLppNAg
F. Spore-forming parasitic protists
 Feed on the body fluids of their hosts
 Most depend on a host for transportation (ex. Mosquito)
 Ex. Plasmodium causes malaria
PLANT-LIKE PROTISTS (ALGAE)
A. Like Plants:
 Autotrophs that use photosynthesis & produce much of the world’s
oxygen
 Can be multicellular
B. Unlike Plants:
 Can be unicellular
 Lack true leaves, stems and roots
 Some can move and some are heterotrophic in addition to autotrophic
C. Euglenoids
 Unicellular algae that can act as heterotrophs in the absence of sunlight
 Eyespot used to detect light
 Flagella that allows movement
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fI7nEWUjk3A
D. Dinoflagellates
 Unicellular
 Flagella
 Multicolor and some glow in the dark
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EN1Yxq8KMsw
E. Diatoms
 Unicellular
 Glass-like cell walls
 Move by oozing along a slime released from the cell wall
 Form diatomaceous earth used in household products like Soft Scrub and
some toothpastes
F. Red Algae
 Multicellular seaweed
 Can grow deep underwater because of it’s ability to absorb even a small amount of
light (~260m)
 Nutrient rich food and is used in ice cream (makes it smoother) and hair
conditioner
G. Brown Algae
 Most seaweed
 The most plant-like in structure of the plant-like protists
 Edible and sometimes used as thickeners in puddings and
other foods
FUNGUS-LIKE PROTISTS
A. Like Fungus:
 Heterotrophs
 Cell walls
 Reproduce with spores
B. Unlike Fungus:
 Are able to move at some point in their life
C. Slime Molds
 Brilliantly colored
 Unicellular or multicellular
D. Water Molds & Downy Mildews
 Live in wet places
 Attack crops (ex. Irish potato famine 1845 & 1846)