Kingdom Protista

Any organism that is not classified as a plant, an animal, and a fungus is considered a _____. • The name "_____a" comes from the Greek word _____os, which means "the very first." _____s are traditionally considered the first eukaryotic forms of life and a predecessor to plants, animals, and fungi. • Most of their characteristics are within the margins of plantlike, animallike, and fungus-like characteristics. • The German zoologist Ernst Haeckel proposed the establishment of this kingdom to embrace all eukaryotic microorganisms and multicellular organisms with marginal characteristics. • _____s are eukaryotic cells with varying cell types, including single-celled and multicellular species. • They obtain energy through autotrophic or heterotrophic methods, and can be immobile or have various locomotor structures. • Most _____s are aquatic and reproduce sexually or asexually through binary fission, multiple fission, and spore formation, while sexual reproduction involves conjugation.

• Protist

• Animal-like Protists

‒ The _____ are the protozoans (Protozoa meaning "first animal"). ‒ All of them are unicellular and almost all members show animal-like characteristics, like locomotion and heterotrophic form of nutrition (except Euglena, which can photosynthesize). ‒ Some protozoans feed by engulfing and digesting other organisms (called phagocytosis). ‒ Others have a mouth-like structure that ingests food particles from the environment (a holozoic form of nutrition where they use their mouth in feeding), and still, others absorb nutrients through their plasma membrane (saprotrophic and parasitic forms of nutrition). ‒ Their cell shapes, modes of feeding, and locomotor structures vary.

• Protist

• Animal-like Protists

Slipper-shaped, Cilia (hair-like structures), Holozoic, Binary fission and conjugation

• Paramecium

• Amoeba

• Euglena

• Plasmodium

Irregular, Pseudopodia ("false feet"), Holozoic, Binary fission and conjugation

• Paramecium

• Amoeba

• Euglena

• Plasmodium

Leaf-shaped, Flagella (whip-like structure), Autotrophic (in the presence of light) and saprotrophic (in the absence of light), Binary fission and conjugation

• Paramecium

• Amoeba

• Euglena

• Plasmodium

Irregular, Endoparasitic (lives in the red blood cells of the host, e.g., humans, Alternation of sexual and asexual methods

• Paramecium

• Amoeba

• Euglena

• Plasmodium

‒ The _____ (singular: alga) are the plantlike protists. They are considered plantlike because, just like plants, their cells have chloroplasts that contain the pigment chlorophyll and thus, they can make their own food. ‒ Also, their cell walls are composed of cellulose, a type of polysaccharide. Being photosynthetic, _____ are considered the primary producers in the aquatic environment (oceans, lakes, and ponds). ‒ Plantlike protists reproduce sexually or asexually. ‒ _____ may be unicellular and living in coloniesdiatoms and dinoflagellates, are multicellular. ‒ Multicellular _____ lack leaves, stems, and roots similar to those of the plants so their "plantlike" bodies are described as a thallus.

• Algae

• seaweeds

• Unicellular Algae

• Dinoflagellates

• Multicellular Algae

‒ The multicellular forms (collectively called _____) mostly thrive in the marine environment and have different colors-green, red, and brown. ‒ Their colors are derived from the presence of coloring pigments that mask the green color of the chlorophyll pigments.

• Algae

• seaweeds

• Unicellular Algae

• Dinoflagellates

• Multicellular Algae

Floating on the surface of the water (ponds, lakes, and seas) are populations of photosynthetic unicellular organisms, most of which are plantlike protists, collectively called phytoplankton. ‒ Phytoplankton are considered the chief producers of the ocean ecosystem. ‒ There are two groups of single- celled plantlike protists: diatoms and dinoflagellates. ‒ Diatoms thrive on the surface of every fresh and marine aquatic environment (down to a depth of about 200 meters), including soil that is moist and watery-as solitary or in colonies. ‒ They vary in shape. ‒ Their size ranges from 20 to 200 microns in length or diameter, and their cell walls are composed of cellulose and silica. ‒ The presence of silica gives them a glassy appearance. ‒ Remains of diatoms called diatomaceous earth are being harvested because of their economic value-used in filters, paints, toothpaste, polish making, and many other applications.

• Algae

• seaweeds

• Unicellular Algae

• Dinoflagellates

• Multicellular Algae

Are unicellular, eukaryotic, and photosynthetic organisms that thrive on the surface of marine waters. ‒ These unicellular algae can move their cells in a corkscrew fashion because they are biflagellated. ‒ Just like diatoms, their cell walls are composed of celluloseandsilica. ‒ Some species emit light and glow in the dark (called bioluminescence). ‒ In the old system of classification, _____ belong to Phylum Pyrrophyta (Pyrrophyta means "fire plants"). ‒ This species secrete toxins and their rapid increase in population makes seawater appear color red, a phenomenon called "red tide." ‒ The toxins poison and kill shellfish and other marine organisms. ‒ The red tide phenomenon is considered a pest in the shellfish industry.

• Algae

• seaweeds

• Unicellular Algae

• Dinoflagellates

• Multicellular Algae