By Connor Murray, Alec Fuoti, and Whit Cummings

Rhizaria

Rhizaria is one of the five supergroups of protists, made up mostly by unicellular eukaryotes

They exist in a great variety of physical forms, but most of them are amoeboids that have pseudopods supported by microtubules

Pseudopodia are thread like extensions protruding from all parts of the cell that are used in mobilization and capturing prey

Most but not all rhizaria have a complex outer shell and a mitochondria

Rhizaria were discovered in 2002 by Cavalier-Smith

Features

Rhizaria is made up of three main eukaryotic groups: chlorarachniophytes, forams, and radiolarians

Chlorarachniophytes and forams have a closer common ancestor than radiolarians

Forams are amoeboids with reticulose pseudopods

Radiolarians are amoeboids with axopods

Chlorarachniophytes are a form of cercozoa, a group of amoebae and flagellates with filose pseudopods

Species and Characteristics

A species of rhizaria known as Naegleria fowleri is a very dangerous form of amoeba found in the Southern United States

It thrives in warm fresh water of lakes, rivers, hot springs, and soil

It is a brain-eating parasite that is inhaled through the nose and travels into the brain

Most active in the summer, it was responsible for the deaths of three Americans in the south east

Harmful Example

Scientists are attempting to genetically reprogram amoeba to attack and consume harmful bacteria in soil to benefit crops

Since they naturally eat bacteria for food source, scientists believe that they can alter them to target certain harmful strains and use them for many agricultural and medical applications

Beneficial Examples