Kingdom ProtistaMost diverse kingdom

Characteristics

• 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

• 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

• Flagellates use flagella to move.• Phylum Zoomastigina• They absorb nutrients from 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

• 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.

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.

EuglenophytaExample: Euglena

•They are plant-like (have chloroplasts), but move around with flagella (animal-like).

•Both autotrophic and heterotrophic.

•Eyespot helps Euglena detect light.

(eyespot)

Chrysophyta: (Golden algae)Example: SynuraPrimarily found in freshwater.Have pigments that give them a yellow, golden color.Some can form algal blooms that can kill fish. 

• Algae are classified into 5 groups accordingto the pigments they contain.• The pigments give the algae their characteristiccolor.• Despite the pigments, all algae have chlorophyll.

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 whichrelease 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

• Most diverse of all the alga.• 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