The Protozoans Ciliates Amoeboid Protozoans Flagellated Protozoans Kingdom Protozoa
Protists • Defining Characteristics • All are unicellular eukaryotes • What is a prokaryote? • Many species are both heterotrophic and autotrophic simultaneously or at different stages of the lifecycle Kingdom Protozoa
Eukaryote Cell
Prokaryote Cell
Adaptability • Protozoans are ecologically important primary producers, consumers and as vital links in the food chain • Humans are greatly effected by parasitic protozoans either directly or indirectly • Effects range from irritating - fatal • Malaria (Plasmodium spp.) worldwide epidemic Kingdom Protozoa
Reproduction • Asexual reproduction • Replication of chromosomes and the splitting of the parent into two or more parts • Binary fission • Multiple fission • Budding • Protozoans are problematic in their associations as colonial forms • Through asexual reproduction protozoans are identical and could be considered multicellular Kingdom Protozoa
Asexual Reproduction Amoeba Flagellate Ciliate Kingdom Protozoa
Classification Alveolate Protozoans Phylum Ciliophora Phylum Dinozoa Phylum Apicomplexa Amoeboid Protozoans The Rhizaria Phylum Foraminifera Phylum Radiozoa Kingdom Protozoa
Paramecium feces Phylum Ciliophora • Defining characteristics • Body externally ciliated in at least some lifecycle stages • Have the highest degree of subcellular specialization and are considered advanced protozoans Kingdom Protozoa
Cilia • Cilia • Hair-like structures by which the organism moves, collects food and senses their surroundings • Fastest of all the protozoans Kingdom Protozoa
Ciliate Biology • Oral groove • Cytostome • Cytoproct • Contractile vacuole Paramecium
Ciliate Lifestyles • 65% of all ciliate species are free-living and mobile • Some ciliates form colonial aggregations and have sessile habits • Other ciliates have symbiotic relationships in invertebrates and vertebrates Vorticella Kingdom Protozoa
Dinoflagellates (Phylum Dinozoa) • Know for bioluminescence and highly toxic red tides • Dense aggregations produce saxitoxin killing fish and crustaceans • Also contaminates shellfish causing diarrheic shellfish poisoning • Some benthic dinoflagellates produce a neurotoxin that accumulates in tropical fish called Ciguatera Kingdom Protozoa
Phylum Apicomplexa (Sporozoa) • All members of this phylum are endoparasites • Includes Malaria (Plasmodium) • Toxoplasma gondii • Perkinsus spp. • Pneumocystis carinii Kingdom Protozoa
Malaria (Plasmodium)
Contains 56,000 described species 44,000 are only known as fossils Most reproduce asexually through binary fission Characterized by pseudopodia Food is usually captured by phagocytosis Body types range from free flowing to rigid with skeletal supports Amoeboid Protozoans Kingdom Protozoa
Phagocytosis Kingdom Protozoa
Amebas and You! Kingdom Protozoa
Class Foraminifera (Rhizaria) • Defining characteristics • Individuals secrete multi-chambered tests, generally made of calcium carbonate (CaCo3) Foram. tests Kingdom Protozoa
Foraminiferans • Extremely abundant, most are benthic and marine • Feed on diatoms and algae, very slow movers • Organisms are extremely common and form ooze • White cliffs of Dover are foraminiferan tests Kingdom Protozoa
Kingdom Protozoa
Phylum Radiozoa (Rhizaria) • Defining characteristics • Body is divided into distinct zones separated by a perforated membrane or capsule • Have pseudopodia supported with thin microtubules that give a spiny rayed appearance Kingdom Protozoa
Radiolarians • Have shells made of silicon dioxide that can be very intricate • Feed on diatoms and other phytoplankton • Most species are planktonic • Benthic individuals move by use of pseudopodia • Can occur in large concentrations that form ooze as well Kingdom Protozoa
Zooflagellated Protozoans Choanoflagellates Kingdom Protozoa
Phytoflagellated Protozoans • Have chlorophyll and obtain energy directly from the sunlight • Some are strictly autotrophic or heterotrophic • Some are a combination of both • Both the Euglena and the dinoflagellates are examples of phytoflagellated protozoans Kingdom Protozoa
