Proposed Outline: Supergroups

Archaeplastids (Photosynthetic)

• Includes Green and Red Algae

• Contains chlorophyll a and b

• Contain two long whip-like flagella

• Inhabits ocean or snow bank environments

• Photosynthetic eukaryotes that have chloroplasts as plasmids

• Can be colonial or fillamentous

Chromoalveolates (Diatoms)

• Includes Stramenopiles or Alveolates

• Contains chlorophylls a and c

• Can be parasitic (in mosquitos parasite Plasmodium causes one type of malaria) (Taxoplasma found in cat feces)

• Have ornate silica shell (Diatoms)

• Inhabits cold ocean waters along rocky coasts

Excavates (Low oxygen)

• Includes zooflagellates

• Most are symbiotic and many parasitic

• Contains a distinctive flagella

• Has an aytipical or absent mitochondria

• Can be unicellular or single celled

• Survive in low oxygen

Amoebozoans (Slime molds)

• Contains a false foot ( move by pseudopod)

• Can move

• Usually aquatic

• Plasmodial slime molds are enveloped by a slimy sheath

• Cellular slime molds are characterized as forming individual amoeboid cells

Opsithokonts (relatives of sponges)

• Animal- like protozoans that are close relatives of sponges

• Can be unicellular or multicellular protozoans

• Includes animals and fungi

• Nucleariids contains thread-like pseudopods called filopodia

Rhizarians (Tests/skeleton)

• Contains a skeleton called a test (fossil tests are used to index rock)

• Organisms with fine, threadlike pseudopods

• Egyptian species

• Fossilized tests makeup up White Cliffs of Dover (Foraminiferans)