Protists, Green Algae and Origin of Land Plants, Fungi

Protist

Eukaryote not classified as fungus, plant, or animal.

Lamproderma spp.

A genus of protists within diverse phyla.

Cenozoic

Current geological era, starting 66 million years ago.

Colonization of land

Transition of life forms from water to land.

Multicellular eukaryotes

Organisms made of multiple eukaryotic cells.

Proterozoic

Geological eon before the Phanerozoic.

Archaean

Geological eon characterized by early life forms.

Prokaryotes

Single-celled organisms without a nucleus.

Single-celled eukaryotes

Eukaryotic organisms consisting of one cell.

Atmospheric oxygen

Oxygen present in Earth's atmosphere, essential for life.

Taxonomy

Science of classifying living organisms.

Eukarya

Domain including all eukaryotic organisms.

Dinoflagellates

Photosynthetic protists with two flagella.

Forams

Single-celled protists with porous shells.

Green algae

Photosynthetic protists, closely related to land plants.

Diatoms

Unicellular algae with silica cell walls.

Ciliates

Protists with hair-like structures for movement.

Red algae

Multicellular algae, primarily marine, with red pigments.

Cellular slime molds

Protists that can aggregate to form multicellular structures.

Endosymbiosis

Process where one organism lives inside another.

Mitochondria

Organelles that produce energy in eukaryotic cells.

Plastids

Organelles involved in photosynthesis and storage.

Autotrophs

Organisms that produce their own food from inorganic substances.

Heterotrophs

Organisms that obtain food by consuming others.

Excavata

Supergroup of protists with unique cytoskeletal features.

Diplomonads

Protists with modified mitochondria and two nuclei.

Euglenozoans

Clade including diverse protists with unique flagella.

Trypanosomes

Parasitic protists causing diseases like sleeping sickness.

Leishmania

Kinetoplastid causing leishmaniasis, transmitted by sandflies.

Diplomonads

Flagellated protists with two nuclei.

Parabasalids

Flagellated protists with modified mitochondria.

Excavata

Supergroup including diplomonads and parabasalids.

Euglenozoans

Flagellated protists with unique mitochondria.

Diatoms

Unicellular algae with silica cell walls.

Golden algae

Photosynthetic protists, often colonial.

Brown algae

Largest multicellular algae, includes kelp.

Dinoflagellates

Algae with two flagella and cellulose plates.

Apicomplexans

Parasitic protists causing diseases in animals.

Ciliates

Protists using cilia for movement and feeding.

SAR clade

Supergroup including Stramenopiles, Alveolates, Rhizarians.

Forams

Protozoans with porous shells, important in geology.

Cercozoans

A diverse group of amoeboid and flagellated protists.

Radiolarians

Protozoans with intricate silica skeletons.

Stramenopiles

Clade with hairy and smooth flagella.

Alveolates

Group with membrane-bound sacs under cell membrane.

Red algae

Multicellular algae, primarily marine, with red pigments.

Chlorophytes

Green algae, mostly freshwater, diverse forms.

Charophytes

Green algae closely related to land plants.

Land plants

Eukaryotic organisms that photosynthesize, evolved from green algae.

Archaeplastida

Supergroup including red algae and land plants.

Slime molds

Fungi-like protists, exist as single cells or aggregates.

Tubulinids

Free-living amoebas with tube-like pseudopodia.

Entamoebas

Parasitic amoebas causing dysentery in humans.

Nucleariids

Amoeboid protists closely related to fungi.

Fungi

Eukaryotic organisms that decompose organic matter.

Unikonta

Supergroup including animals and fungi.

Choanoflagellates

Closest living relatives of animals.

Amoebozoans

Group of protists with lobe-shaped pseudopodia.

Ciliates

Protists characterized by cilia for movement.

Conjugation

Sexual process in ciliates exchanging genetic material.

Plasmodium

Genus of apicomplexans causing malaria.

Toxoplasma gondii

Apicomplexan that forms cysts in host brains.

Sporozoites

Infectious cells of apicomplexans.

Merozoite

Form of Plasmodium that infects red blood cells.

Gametocytes

Haploid cells that develop into gametes.

Heterocyst

Specialized cells for nitrogen fixation in cyanobacteria.

Primary Endosymbiosis

Process where a protist acquired cyanobacteria.

Paraphyletic Group

Group including some descendants but not all.

Chlorophytes

Green algae primarily found in freshwater.

Charophytes

Green algae closely related to land plants.

Zoospore

Motile asexual spore with flagella.

Ulva lactuca

Multicellular green algae, known as sea lettuce.

Sporopollenin

Durable polymer preventing zygote desiccation.

Alternation of Generations

Life cycle alternating between haploid and diploid stages.

Gametophyte

Haploid stage producing gametes by mitosis.

Sporophyte

Diploid stage producing spores by meiosis.

Embryophytes

Land plants with dependent embryos.

Apical Meristems

Regions of growth at plant tips.

Gametangia

Organs producing gametes in plants.

Archegonia

Female gametangia producing eggs.

Antheridia

Male gametangia producing and releasing sperm.

Sporangia

Organs producing haploid spores from sporocytes.

Dependent Embryos

Embryos retained within female gametophyte tissue.

Cellulose

Structural carbohydrate synthesized by plants.

Phragmoplast

Microtubule structure organizing cell wall formation.

Volvox

Unicellular algae forming spherical colonies.

Caulerpa

Alga reproducing through mitosis without cytokinesis.

Diplomonads

Group of protists with modified mitochondria.

Euglenozoans

Group of protists including euglenas and trypanosomes.

Diatoms

Algae with silica cell walls.

Brown Algae

Multicellular algae, often found in marine environments.

Red Algae

Marine algae with phycoerythrin pigment.

Cyanobacteria

Photosynthetic bacteria, important for oxygen production.

Diplomonads

A group of protists with two nuclei.

Parabasalids

Protists with a modified mitochondrion called hydrogenosome.

Excavata

Supergroup of protists with unique feeding groove.

Euglenozoans

Protists with flagella and a mixotrophic lifestyle.

Diatoms

Algae with silica cell walls, important for ecosystems.

Golden algae

Photosynthetic protists, often found in freshwater.

Brown algae

Multicellular algae, includes kelp and seaweeds.