Prokaryotes and Protists

Cell Morphology

Coccus

Bacillus

Helical

Spherical

Coccus

Rod-shapped  

Bacillus  

spirilloid

helical

Purple Stained 

Gram (+)

Pink Stained 

Gram (-)

Cyanobacteria

Anabaena

Rivularia

Nonstoc

Oscillatoria

Anabaena (heterocyst)

Rivularia (heterocyst)

Nostoc (heterocyst) 

Oscillatoria

convert atmospheric nitrogen (N2) to biologically accessible compounds

Heterocysts

swellings on plant roots where bacteria convert nitrogen into usable forms for plants, in exchange for sugars.

Root Nodules 

Amoeba proteus

Physarum slime mold

Supergroup Amoeboza

single-celled eukaryotes that can alter their shape, primarily by extending pseudopods.

Amoeba proteus

Not fungi, begin life as amoeba-like cells but may eventually form slimy yellow plasmodial strands

Physarum slime mold

Supergroup Excavata

Euglena

Giardia intestinalis

Trichomonas vaginalis

Tripanosoma sp.

Flagellated Cells

Red stigma

Euglena

infects the digestive system

Giardia intestinalis

vaginalis infects the lining of the lower reproductive system and urinary tract

Trichomonas vaginalis

Causes sleeping sickness and Chagas disease.

Tripanosoma sp.

Multicellular brown algae 

Kelp

single celled and create “shells” made of

organic glass (silica) that protect them.

Diatoms

Supergroup Alveolata 

Paramecium

Stentor

Dinoflagellates

Has cilia, gullet, oral groove, and vacuoles

Paramecium

A ciliate - single-celled organisms, possess cilia, short hairlike organelles

Stentor

photosynthetic “algae” with two flagella located in grooves in cellulose “armor”.

Dinoflagellates

Supergroup Rhizaria 

Radiolarians

Foraminiferans 

typically made of silica that is deposited within the outer layer of their cells.

Radiolarians

possess a test (shell-like hardened structure outside the cell) made of calcium carbonate.

Foraminiferans