**DO NOT WRITE ON THIS PAPER PLEASE . . .

Protozoa Lab

Introduction: “Protozoa” are so varied that it is difficult to describe the group as a whole. They are single-celled eukaryotes (a eukaryote is a cell that has a nucleus.) Protozoa, along with algae, comprise the kingdom Protista. If you scoop up a sample from most ponds, lakes, or streams, and even the ocean you are likely to find protozoa. Other protozoa live in soil or plants. And some Protozoa live in or on animals as harmless, beneficial symbionts, or harmful parasites. Protozoa are put into different groups based on locomotion. Today we will look at various specimens and try to determine how they are moving as well as identify other characteristics. Some examples of other characteristics might be: Pseudopodia or, false feet, are projections from the main mass of the cell. An Amoeba has large, conspicuous pseudopodia. These are used in food capture and locomotion. Flagellum is a tail that comes of the cell used for locomotion. Some protozoa have more than one tail. Cilia are little “hairs” on the protozoa that can be used for locomotion or feeding. Contractile Vacuole is like a little water pump inside protozoa Food Vacuole is a little storage place for the protozoa’s food See back of paper for activity directions . . .

Procedure: 1. Place a few drops of the specimen in to a slide well using the pipette.

IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU NOT BLOW AIR INTO THE CONTAINER WHILE GETTING YOUR SPECIMEN. Gently draw up the specimen from the bottom of the container. Place the well cap on top of well.

2. Try to find and focus on the specimen using the lowest power objective.

3. See if you can focus in on the field using the 10x objective. DO NOT USE THE 40X LENS OBJECTIVE. Will knock well cap off.

4. At end of lab go to sink, take well cap off, rinse, dry, and return well and cap to lab station that you ended with.

**Put your heading on a separate piece of paper and title the activity, “Protozoa Activity.” Follow the directions below on the separate piece of paper:

1. Name the Protozoa you are observing

2. Observe the protozoa’s movement for at least a minute or longer and describe, the best you can, how it moves. (Does it seem to be propelled from the back, sort of crawling, wiggling back and forth, or maybe contracting and extending like an accordion?) Guess if you think the cell is using a flagella, cilia, or some other method to move.

3. Make a drawing of the protozoa. Can you see anything inside of it?

What is its general shape? Can you see a flagella or cilia? REPEAT THESE STEPS FOR EACH OF THE PROTOZOA AT THE STATIONS MAKING SURE YOU NAME EACH PROTOZOA AND NUMBER EACH STEP.