ProtistsProtists are a range of organisms that

have many different features. This makes them really hard to classify.

ProtistsWhile protists range significantly they do share common

characteristics:

1. Most are unicellular

2. May be autotrophic or heterotrophic

3. Cells are eukaryotic and have membrane bound nucleus, vacuoles, and mitochondria

4. Cells reproduce asexually by binary fission (some through sexual reproduction)

5. Cells thrive in moist environments (such as fresh water, salt water, animal fluids)

Protists Examples

Organizing Protists

3 Categories:

1. Animal-like Protists

2. Fungus-like Protists

3. Plant-like Protists

1. Animal-like Protists (a.k.a. Protozoa)

Are all heterotrophic

Capable of moving in order to feed

Uses pseudopod to grab food and move

Various methods of locomotion

1. Cilia2. Flagella3. Pseudopod* Parasitic

Examples amoeba, paramecium,

malaria

E.g. 1 Amoeba (Phylum: Cercozoa)

Surface is a cell membrane (flexible) Use temporary extensions known as

pseudopodia (false feet) to feed and move Live in moist environments Intestinal parasite amoebas can be contracted

through contaminated water

E.g. 2 Paramecium (Phylum: Ciliophora)

Contain many cilia (for feeding and locomotion)

Food in brought in through the oral groove

E.g. 3 Trypanosoma (Phylum: Zoomastigina)This phylum has one or more flagella Causes the sleeping sickness

E.g. 4 Plasmodium (Phylum: Sporozoa)

Plasmodium is the bacteria that causes malaria in humans

Infects both humans and mosquitos

When a human is infected with malaria, a mosquito that bites that human will also carry malaria.

When the malaria carrying mosquito bites another human, the human is now infected.

2. Fungus-like ProtistsKnown as slime moulds or water moulds

They like cool, shady, moist places

Are heterotrophic decomposers

Have cell walls

Can move at one point in their life

3. Plant-like Protists• They contain chlorophyll (used in

photosynthesis)• They are autotrophic when light is present (in

darkness they are heterotrophic).

E.g. Euglena

• Contains an eyespot (for detecting light) and a flagellum (for propelling through water)

• Has a pellicle instead of a cell wall(is more flexible for movement)

3. Plant-like Protists

Other examples include:

• Dinoflagellate

• Green Algae

• Red Algae

• Brown Algae

3. Plant-like ProtistsWhy are algae important?

They are primary producers (they make sugar and oxygen essential for aquatic organisms)

Without them all fish would die

Algae also produce oil and are used as fertilizer

Algae can also cause harm: Too much algae can block sunlight from water, and “sufficate” the lake.

Homework

Read pages 72-78.

#19-21, 23 (p.76)#2-4, 7-8, 10, 12

(p.78)