Protist Lab

What is this?

Amoeba

Pseudopod of amoeba

False foot used for movement and capturing food via phagocytosis

Nucleus of amoeba

DNA

Plasma membrane of amoeba

semi-permeable double-layer of lipids and proteins

Food vacuole of amoeba

Breaks down food

What is this?

Foraminifera

“Test” of foramina? Chemical composition? Is the test chambered?

Shell

CaCO3

Chambered shell with small pores

Extension in Live Forams

Pseudopodia extend through the small holes in the test for feeding and locomotion

What is this?

Apicomplexa

What is malaria caused by?

Plasmodium (from apicomplexa)

Hosts Required for Malaria

Humans and mosquitoes

Malaria host type (intra or intercellular)

Intracellular parasite

What is this?

Paramecium

Paramecium — Structures & Feeding

Cilia: Hair-like structures used for movement and sweeping food. Macronucleus: Controls day-to-day metabolic functions.

Oral Groove: Indentation where food particles are swept in. Feeding Mechanism: Sweeps food through oral groove into food vacuoles; digests intracellularly

Trypanosoma — Disease, Transmission & Parasite Type

Disease Caused: African Sleeping Sickness

Vector/Transmission: Bitten by the Tsetse fly.

Immune Evasion: Changes surface proteins with each generation. Parasite Type: Intercellular parasite (lives between host cells in blood plasma).

Trypanosoma — Locomotion

Locomotion: Moves using a single flagellum attached along an undulating membrane.

Euglena — Movement & Key Structures

Flagellum: Long whip-like tail used for swimming/locomotion. Eyespot (Stigma): Light-sensing organelle used to orient toward light for photosynthesis. Chloroplasts: Site of photosynthesis.

Diatoms — Test Features & Shell Structure

Test Material: Silica / glass-like.

Structure: Consists of two overlapping halves

Shapes: Radial symmetry.

Dinoflagellates — Distinctive Features

Flagella Structure: Possesses two perpendicular grooves containing flagella.

Movement: Whirl-like spinning movement caused by flagella within the grooves.

Spirogyra (Chlorophyta) — Structure & Reproduction

Type: Multicellular, filamentous green alga.

Chloroplasts: Distinct spiral/helical arrangement.

Reproduction: S3xual reproduction via conjugation; genetic material passes through a conjugation tube from one filament to another to form a diploid zygote.