Domain Eukarya Taxonomy and Characteristics

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering the key supergroups, subgroups, characteristics, and representative organisms across Domain Eukarya as detailed in the notes.

Excavata

A major supergroup of Domain Eukarya that includes Diplomonads, Parabasalids, and Euglenozoans.

Diplomonads

Anaerobic organisms with two nuclei (like eyes) and multiple flagella (like hair); often parasites such as Giardia intestinalis.

Parabasalids

A group within Excavata that includes Trichomonas vaginalis, a sexually transmitted parasite.

Euglenozoans

A clade within Excavata characterized by diverse feeding styles, containing Kinetoplastids and Euglenids.

Kinetoplastids

A subgroup of Euglenozoans consisting of free-living species in wet habitats and parasites, such as Trypoanosoma, which causes sleeping sickness.

Euglenids

Organisms within Euglenozoans with one or two flagella, found in pond water (e.g., Euglena), that can change to heterotrophs when no sunlight is available.

SAR

A major supergroup of Domain Eukarya comprising Stramenopiles, Alveolates, and Rhizarians.

Stramenopiles

A group within SAR containing important photosynthesizers characterized by hairy and smooth flagella.

Diatoms

Unicellular algae within Stramenopiles with glass-like silicion dioxide cell walls that make up a major part of phytoplankton.

Golden Algae

Photosynthetic, mostly unicellular organisms within Stramenopiles, where some species function as mixotrophs.

Brown Algae

Large, multicellular, marine organisms within Stramenopiles that constitute most "seaweeds".

Alveolates

A major clade of SAR consisting of Dinoflagellates, Apicomplexans, and Ciliates.

Dinoflagellates

Organisms within Alveolates featuring cellulose armor that form phytoplankton, cause red tide, and include some bioluminescent species.

Apicomplexans

Parasitic protists requiring 2 hosts, such as Plasmodium, which causes malaria.

Ciliates

Predatory protists within Alveolates that use cilia to move and feed, and engage in conjugation.

Rhizarians

A clade of SAR consisting of many amoebas with tread-like pseudopodia.

Radiolarians

Marine protists within Rhizarians that possess internal skeletons of silica and reinforced pseudopodia radiating from the center.

Foraminiferans (forams)

Protists within Rhizarians whose pseudopodia extend through pores in a "test", serving as important fossils.

Cercozoans

Heterotrophic protists common in marine, freshwater (FW), and soil environments, including one photosynthetic species that represents an example of endosymbiosis.

Archaeplastida

A supergroup of Domain Eukarya that includes Red Algae, Green Algae, and Plants.

Red Algae

Usually multicellular organisms (some "seaweeds") in which an accessory pigment masks green chlorophyll.

Green Algae

Algae within Archaeplastida displaying greater size and complexity that evolved in several ways, subdivided into Chlorophytes and Charophytes.

Chlorophytes

Mostly freshwater green algae, some of which exhibit alternation of generation.

Charophytes

Green algae that are the closest relatives of plants, sharing traits such as cellulose production, flagellated sperm, phragmoplast, and sporopollenin.

Unikonta

A supergroup of Domain Eukarya comprising Amoebozoans and Opsithokonts.

Amoebozoans

A group within Unikonta containing amoebas with lobe-shaped pseudopodia.

Slime Molds

Organisms within Amoebozoans that resemble fungi and exhibit alternation of generations.

Entamoebas

Unicellular heterotrophic parasites using pseudopodia that reside in soil or water between hosts; Entamoeba histolytica infection causes amoebic dysentery.

Opsithokonts

A major clade within Unikonta that includes Nucleariids, Fungi, Choanoflagellates, and Animals.

Choanoflagellates

Organisms within Opsithokonts that are the closest relatives to animals and resemble the choanocytes of sponges.