Protists are grouped to together in
a kingdom because they lack the
characteristics that would let them
fit into any other kingdom.
Animal Like Protists:
Protozoans
• They are animal-like because
they are heterotrophs and they
can move.
• They are grouped into 4 Groups
based on how they move:
1-Sarcodinians - amoeba
2-Zooflagellates – trichonympha
3-Ciliophorans – paramecium
4-Sporozoans - plasmodium
Zooflagellates – trichonymphalive in the intestines of termites. Break down the cellulose in wood. Use
flagella for movement. Cause the disease known as Africian Sleeping
Sickness
Sporozoans – plasmodium
Sporozoites : spore forming potozoa that are parasitic . Shown here
in a human blood smear cause malaria. Protozoans are very important
because they are the third largest living organism in the oceans.
Sporozoans such as plasmodium
case diseases such as malaria.
• The sporozoites from the mosquito salivary gland are injected into
the human as the mosquito must inject anticoagulant saliva to ensure
an even flowing meal.
• Once in the human bloodstream, the sporozoites arrive in the liver
and penetrate cells, where they remain for 9-16 days, multiplying within
the cells.
• On release, they return to the blood and penetrate red blood cells in
which they produce gametocytes, which have no further activity within
the human host.
• Another mosquito arriving to feed on the blood may suck up these
gametocytes into its gut. The resulting ookinete penetrates the wall of
a cell in the midgut, where it develops into an oocyst. Many spores are
produced within the oocyst and when the oocyst ruptures, the
sporozoites migrate to the salivary gland, for injection into another
host.
Plant Like Protists
• Called algae
• Perform photosynthesis
• Autotrophic
• Contain chlorophyll, and provide oxygen
• Have no true roots, stems, leaves
• Can be unicellular – diatoms, euglenoids
• Can be multicellular – green, red, brown algae
• They are important because they provide energy
through photosynthesis for heterotrophs.
Classified into two Groups:
• Unicellular and Multicellular
• Multicellular used to be classified as plants
because they contain chloroplasts and
perform photosynthesis. Classified as
Protists because they contain different
reproductive structures.
• Algae are important because they produce
most of our oxygen in the Earth’s
atmosphere.
Fungus Like Protists• They are decomposers known as mold.
• Heterotrophic
• Plasmodial slime molds – single cell with
many nuclei that can form spore-
producing fruiting bodies.
• Cellular slime mold – single cells that
come together to form fruiting bodies and
produce spores
• Water mold – include fresh water and land
protists that act as decomposers and
parasites
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