Kingdom Protista

Chapter 20
Protist Characteristics
 Eukaryotes that cannot be classified as
plants, animals or fungi
 Very diverse
 More than 200,000 species
 Classified by movement
Cilia, flagella, pseudopodia
Characteristics Continued
 Most are Unicellular(ex.amoeba), some
are multicellular (ex. algae)
 Obtain food
Some heterotrophs, some autotrophs
 Movement
 Some protists are bioluminescent
 Produce and emit light
 Ex. dinoflagellates
Reproduction/Conjugation:
 Most reproduce asexually – by mitosis
 If conditions are stressful, conjugation may
occur
Exchange genetic material
Ex. Paramecium
 Some form a cyst to survive harsh
conditions
hard, protective covering
 Concept Map
Section 20-1

Protists

are classified by

Animallike Plantlike Funguslike

which include
which which which

Take in food from Produce food by Obtain food by

the environment photosynthesis Decomposers Parasites
external digestion
 Animal-like protists
 Phylum Sarcodina
Ex. Amoeba
pseudopod “false foot”
 used for feeding and movement

 Stretches outward, anchors, and then

cytoplasm catches up
 Can also engulf food, forming a vacuole

Live in water, soil, or some parasitic

 Amebic dysentery – causes diarrhea

Ingestion of contaminated food or water

Amoeba Structures

Contractile vacuole

Pseudopods

Nucleus

Food vacuole
 Phylum Ciliophora
All have cilia – short hairlike projections
used for locomotion
Ex. Paramecium
Commonly called ciliates
Have a mouth pore and an anal pore
Macronucleus – directs cell’s activities
Micronucleus – functions during
conjugation
Trichocysts – defense mechanism
Contractile vacuole – removes excess
water
 Paramecium
Trichocysts
Lysosomes Oral groove
Gullet

Anal pore

Contractile vacuole

Micronucleus

Macronucleus Food vacuoles

Cilia
 Parasitic Protozoa
Trypanosoma
Zooflagellate

Causes African Sleeping

sickness
Transmitted by Tsetse fly

Attacks central nervous system

Destroys blood cells and

infects other body cells
Plasmodium
 Phylum Sporozoa
 Parasite that causes malaria
Transmitted when female
Anopheles mosquito bites a human
Live and reproduce in Red blood
cells
Symptoms: Fever and chills
500,000 people die/year
Plantlike protists
Also called algae
Autotrophs
Contain chloroplasts
No true roots, stems, or
leaves
Most are aquatic
Phylum Chlorophyta
 Green algae
 Ex. Volvox
Colony of cells in sphere shape
 Ex. Spirogyra
Spiral shape of cells joined end-
to-end
Volvox
Spirogyra
 Phylum Bacillariophyta
 Ex. Diatoms
Two shells that fit together like a box
Composed of silica
 Phylum Euglenophyta
Plantlike and animal-like
Most photosynthesize
Ex. Euglena
have an eye spot – orients them to
light
Has a single flagella
Diatom
Euglena