protist classification

Alveolates

• synapomorphy: alveoli (system of vesicles below plasma membrane)

• unicellular

Dinoflagellates

• synapomorphy: 2 dissimilar ventral flagella in surface grooves

• harmful algal blooms

• marine primary producer

• zooxanthelle

• ex. red tides

Stramenopiles

• synapomorphy: motile cells have two unequal flagella, one has hair

• unicellular and multicellular

• most important eukaryotic primary producers

Diatoms

• unicellular photoautotrophs

• bilatera/radial symmetry

• silica shells

• produce much of Earth’s oxygen

Brown algae

• multicellular, marine

• unique pigment: fucoxanthin

• ex. kep forests

Rhizarians

• synapomorphy: amoeboid w/ slender pseudopods

• many produce shells/skeletons

• source of most limestone deposits

Excavates

• unicellular chemoheterotrophs

• have unique ventral feeding groove

Kinetoplastids

• contain kinetoplast

Amoebozoans

• synapomorphy: amoeboid w/ lobe-shaped pseudopods for locomotion and phagocytosis

• unicellular, but can aggregate

• predators, parasites, scavengers

algae

• mostly photoautotrophs

• produce O2

protozoa

heterotrophic

fungus-like protists

• heterotrophic

• fungus-like bodies

flagellates

• composed of one or few cells

• small

• flagella not powerful enough for big bodies

cillates

• cilia are tiny, hair-like extensions of the cell

• larger than flagella

amoebae

• lobe-like appendages called pseudopods

• network of cytoskeleton microfilaments squeezes cytoplasm

gliding

• used by diatoms and plasmodium

• produces slime to slide on