Unit 3: Biodiversity - Protists

Difference between eukaryotic and prokaryotic organisms

Eukaryotes have membrane-bound organelles and a nucleus, are10 larger than prkaryotes and have more complex genetic meterial. Prokaryotes lack a nucleus and membrane-bound organelles.

What are the 3 categories of protists?

1. Animal like protists (protozoans)

2. Plant-like protists

3. Fungi-like protists

What are the 4 subgroups of animal-like protists based on movement?

1. Zooflagellates

2. Ciliiates

3. Amoebas

4. Sporozoans

Zooflagellates

Use flagella for movement

Ciliate

Covered with cilia

Amoebas

Use pseudopods for movement and feeding

Sporozoans

Non-motile, parasitic and reproduce via spores during their asexual phase

Animal like protists (protazoans)

heterotrophic, categorized by movement type

Plant like protists

Autotrophic, carry out photosynthesis

Fungi like protists

hetertrophic, many are decomposers

How does malaria spread? and what is the best way to eliminate it?

Spread by mosquitoes (vector)

What is the best way to eliminate malaria?

The best way to eliminate it is to control or eliminate mosquito populations. Treating the disease with drugs can help, but eliminating the vector is more effective

What is the life cycle of the malaria parasite (plasmodium)?

The parasite has 2 hosts: humans and mosquitoes. It spreads when. amosquito bites an infected human then infects a new human when the mosquito bites again, continuing the cycle.

What sub-group of animal like protists is plasmodium a part of?

Sporozoans

What are the main plant-like protists?

• Euglenouids

• DIatoms

• Green Algae

• Dinoflagellates

Euglenoids

Unicellular, flagellated, autotrophic in light, hetertrophic in darkness

Diatoms

Single celled, key food source in aquatic ecosystems

Green Algae

Can be unicellular or multicellular, believed to be the ancestor of land plants

Dinoflagellates

Single-celled, have two flagella, move in spinning motion and are luminescent

What are the 3 major phyla of fungi-like protists?

1. Acellular Slime molds

2. Cellular slime molds

3. Water molds

Example of a zooflagellate animal-like protist

Trypanosoma gambiense - causes sleeping sickness

Example of a ciliate animal like protist

Paramecium -uses cilia for movement and feeding

Example of an amoeba animal like protist?

Entamoeba - some species are parasitic

Example of a diatom plant like protist

Thalassiosira - key food source in the aquatic ecosystems

Example of euglenoid plant like protist?

Euglena - can switch between autotrophic and hetertrophic modes

Example of green-algae plant like protist

Chlamydomonas - singlecelled green algae with flagella

Example of dinoflagellate plant like protist

Noctiluca scintillans - a luminescent species

Example of an acellular slim mold fungi like protist

Physarum polycephalum -commonly studied in labs for its unique movement

Example of a cellular slime mold fungi like protist?

Dictyostelium discoideum - known for forming multicellular structures under stress

Example of a water mold fungi-like protist?

Phytophthora infestans - causes potato blight