RECALL TAXONOMIC HIERARCHY

 DOMAIN
 KINGDOM
 PHYLUM/DIVISION
 CLASS
 ORDER
 FAMILY
 GENUS
 SPECIES (EPITHET)
 Homo sapiens

PROTISTS

under kingdom protista

can be divided into animal/plant/fungus- like

Animal-like protists were traditionally divided into

Phyla based on mode of
locomotion

Plant-like protists were sorted based on

chlorophylls present and mode of
carbohydrate storage

Fungus-like protists occupy

similar niches that fungi do; this is due to
convergent evolution (did not arise from common ancestor)

CHARACTERISTICS OF PROTISTS

ALL ARE EUKARYOTIC
 MOST ARE UNICELLULAR
 SOME EXIST AS COLONIES
 SOME ARE MULTICELLULAR (SOME ALGAE)
 MOST HAVE AEROBIC RESPIRATION
 CAN BE FREE-LIVING, PARASITIC, OR SYMBIOTIC
 SOME ARE HETEROTROPHIC; SOME ARE AUTOTROPHIC
 SOME CAN BE MIXOTROPHIC (AUTOTROPHIC & HETEROTROPHIC)

SUPERGROUP/CLADE-EXCAVATA

• HAVE AN “EXCAVATED” GROOVE ON ONE SIDE OF
  THE CELL BOD
• 2 member have HIGHLY
  REDUCED MITOCHONDRIA
• EUGLENOIDS HAVE FLAGELLA THAT DIFFER FROM ANY OTHER
  ORGANISM

UPERGROUP/CLADE-EXCAVATA:
KINGDOM DIPLOMONADIDA

ORGANISM LASK PLASTIDS (MEMBRANE-BOUND STRUCTURES
SEEN IN PLANT CELLS: LEUCOPLASTS, CHROMOPLASTS, &
CHLOROPLASTS)
 HAVE REDUCED MITOCHONDRIA, MITOSOMES, WHICH LACK
FUNCTIONAL ELECTRON TRANSPORT CHAINS, HENCE CANNOT
USE OXYGEN TO HELP EXTRACT ENERGY FROM
CARBOHYDRATES OR OTHER ORGANIC MOLECULES
 USE ANAEROBIC PATHWAYS TO GET ENERGY
 MANY ARE PARASTIC (E.G. Giardia)
 Have two equal sized nuclei & multiple flagella

SUPERGROUP/CLADE-EXCAVATA:
KINGDOM PARABASALA

 HAVE REDUCED MITOCHONDRIA, HYDROGENOSOMES, WHICH
GENERATE SOME ENERGY. ANAEROBICALLY, BY THE RELEASE OF
HYDROGEN GAS AS A BY-PRODUCT
 INCLUDES INFAMOUS ORGANISM, Trichomonas vaginalis, (a usual
inhabitant of the human vagina); overpopulation can lead to an infection
that can be passed to sexual partner
 In females, if the vaginal pH is disturbed, T. vaginalis can outcompete
beneficial flora and infect the vagina; in males, this infection can go
asymptomatic

SUPERGROUP/CLADE-EXCAVATA:
KINGDOM EUGLEOZOA

 HAVE FLAGELLA CONTAINING EITHER A SPIRAL OR CRYSTALLINE
ROD-LIKE STRUCTURE INSIDE EACH FLAGELLA
 INCLUDES PREDATORY HETEROTROPHS, PHOTOSYNTHETIC
AUTOTROPHS, MIXOTROPHS, & PARASITES

SUPERGROUP/CLADE-EXCAVATA: KINGDOM
EUGLEOZOA-PHYLUM KINETOPLASTIDA

 Large single mitochondrion, containing an organized mass of DNA called a
kinetoplast
 Members feed on marine, freshwater, & terrestrial prokaryotes; others
parasitize plants, animals, or other protists
 One member, Trypanosoma bruceli, is the causative agent of sleeping
sickness; transmitted via the bite of the tsetse fly
 Another Trypanosome can cause Chagas’ disease, transmitted via bite of sucking insects, can lead to congestive heart failure

SUPERGROUP/CLADE-EXCAVATA: KINGDOM
EUGLEOZOA-PHYLUM EUGLENOPHYTA

 CAN HAVE 1-2 FLAGELLA
 CAN BE MIXOTROPHIC; PERFORM PHOTOSYNTHESIS WHEN LIGHT IS
PRESENT, BUT CAN GO HETEROTROPHIC IF LIGHT IS NOT PRESENT, AND
ABSORB ORGANIC MOLECULES FROM THEIR ENVIRONMENT; SOME CAN
ENGULF PREY VIA PHAGOCYTOSIS
 HAS CHLOROPHYLLS A & B
 NO CELL WALL
 HAS PELLICLE TO MAINTAIN SHAPE
 DIVISION VIA MITOSIS BUT NOT TYPICAL; NUCLEOLUS AND NUCLEAR
MEMBRANE DO NOT DISAPPEAR
 HAS STIGMA-LIGHT SENSITIVE ORGANELLE
 STORES CARBOHYDRATE IN THE FORM OF PARAMYLON
 PYRENOID-STRUCTURE WHERE PARAMYLON IS PRODUCED
 SUFFIX “PHYTA” IS IN REFERENCE TO PLANT OR PLANT-LIKE (I.E.
PHOTOSYNTHETIC)

SUPERGROUP/CLADE-CHROMALVEOLATA:

 KNOWN AS “SAR” CLADE
 S = STRAMENOPHILES
 A = ALVEOLATES
 R = RHIZARIANS

SUPERGROUP/CLADE-CHROMALVEOLATA:
KINGDOM STRAMENOPHILA

 STRAMEN MEANS “STRAW”; PILA MEANS “HAIR”
 CONTAINS BOTH AUTOTROPHS AND HETEROTROPHS
 NAME COMES FROM THE HAIR-LIKE PROJECTIONS WHICH ARE
FOUND ON THEIR FLAGELLA; MOST MEMBERS HAVE A “HAIRY”
FLAGELLUM PAIRED WITH A SMOOTH ONE

SUPERGROUP/CLADE-CHROMALVEOLATA:
KINGDOM STRAMENOPHILA-PHYLUM
BACILLARIOPHYTA

 COMMON NAME IS THE DIATOMS
 UNICELLULAR
 UNIQUE GLASS-LIKE WALL MADE OF HYDRATED SILICA; WALLS FIT
TOGETHER LIKE A SHOE BOX TOP AND BOTTOM
 VERY ABUNDANT IN LAKES AND OCEANS
 ACCUMULATION IN SEDIMENT FORMS DIATOMACEOUS EARTH WHICH IS
USED IN FILTERS & TOOTHPASTE
 ABUNDANCE COUPLED WITH PHOTOSYNTHETIC ACTIVITY AFFECTS
CARBON DIOXIDE LEVELS IN ATMOSPHERE; SCIENTISTS WANT TO USE
DIATOM BLOOMS TO HELP REDUCE CARBON DIOXIDE LEVELS (DIATOMS
TAKE THIS CARBON DIOXIDE TO OCEAN FLOOR AS THE FALL TO BOTTOM)
 CHLOROPHYLLS A & C

SUPERGROUP/CLADE-CHROMALVEOLATA:
KINGDOM STRAMENOPHILA-PHYLUM
CHRYSOPHYTA

 KNOWN AS THE “GOLDEN ALGAE”
 APPEAR YELLOW-BROWN TO YELLOW-GREEN
 CHLOROPHYLLS A & C
 STORES CARBOHYDRATE AS LAMINARIN
 SOME CAN MAKE ENVIRONMENTALLY RESISTANT CYSTS THAT
CAN SURVIVE FOR DECADES
 CAN BE MIXOTROPHIC

SUPERGROUP/CLADE-CHROMALVEOLATA:
KINGDOM STRAMENOPHILA-PHYLUM
PHAEOPHYTA

 KNOWN AS THE “BROWN ALGAE”
 ALL MULTICELLULAR
 ONE OF THE “SEAWEEDS”
 COMMON ALONG COLD WATER CURRENTS (E.G. COAST OF
CALIFORNIA)
 CELL WALLS CONTAIN ALGIN WHICH IS USED AS A THICKENING
AGENT FOR DRESSINGS, PUDDINGS, SOUPS, & ICE CREAM
 CHLOROPHYLLS A & C
 STORES CARBOHYDRATE IN THE FORM OF LAMINARIN
 CELL WALL OF CELLULOSE
 INCLUDES KELPS (SOME CAN REACH LENGTHS OF 60m

SUPERGROUP/CLADE-CHROMALVEOLATA:
KINGDOM STRAMENOPHILA-PHYLUM
OOMYCOTA

 COMMON CALLED THE WATER MOLDS
 ALSO INCLUDES WHITE RUSTS & DOWNY MILDEWS
 HETEROTROPHIC
 SOME UNICELLULAR WITH BRANCHED HYPHAE (FUNGUS-LIKE
CHARACTERISTIC)
 CELL WALLS ARE COMPRISED OF CELLULOSE (LIKE SEEN IN
PLANTS); FUNGAL CELL WALLS ARE MADE OF CHITIN
 DIPLOID DOMINANT, UNLIKE HAPLOID DOMINATE FUNGI
 REPRODUCTION INCLUDES THE USE OF A LARGE EGG (HENCE
NAME “OO”MYCOTA)
 IMPORTANT IN DECOMPOSITION OF DEAD MATERIAL IN WATER

SUPERGROUP/CLADE-CHROMALVEOLATA:
KINGDOM ALVEOLATA

 MEMBERS HAVE MEMBRANE-ENCLOSED SACS (ALVEOLI) JUST
UNDER THEIR PLASMA MEMBRANES
 FOUND IN A WIDE VARIETY OF HABITATS
 INCLUDES DINOFLAGELLATES, APICOMPLEXANS, & CILIOPHORANS

SUPERGROUP/CLADE-CHROMALVEOLATA:
KINGDOM ALVEOLATA-PHYLUM
DINOFLAGELLATA

 MEMBERS HAVE CELLS WITH REINFORCED PLATES OF CELLULOSE
 HAVE TWO FLAGELLA LOCATED IN GROOVES ALONG THEIR PLATES
 AUTOTROPHIC, HETEROTROPHIC, OR MIXOTROPHIC
 CHLOROPHYLLS A & C
 STORES CARBOHYDRATE AS STARCH
 HAS CELLULOSE CELL WALL
 OVERABUNDANCE CAUSES “RED TIDES”; WATER BECOMES PINK DUE TO
THEIR PINK TO BROWNISH-RED PIGMENTS
 POSSESS MINI HARPOONS “TRICHOCYSTS”
 NUCLEOLUS & NUCLEUS DO NOT DISAPPEAR DURING MITOSIS
 SOME FORM SYMBIOTIC RELATIONSHIP, ZOOXANTHELLE, WITH CORAL
 MARINE & FRESH WATER

SUPERGROUP/CLADE-CHROMALVEOLATA:
KINGDOM ALVEOLATA-PHYLUM
APICOMPLEXA

 NEARLY ALL ARE PARASITES OF ANIMALS
 NAMED FROM THE APICAL COMPLEX WHICH IT USES TO
PENETRATE HOST’S RED BLOOD CELLS
 ALL MEMBERS ARE ENDOPARASITIC (LIVES WITHIN THE HOST AS
OPPOSED TO ECTOPARASITES WHICH ATTACH TO OUTER
SURFACE OF THE HOST)
 HAVE VERY COMPLEX LIFE CYCLES WITH MULTIPLE HOSTS
 HAVE BOTH SEXUAL AND ASEXUAL STAGES
 INCLUDES Plasmodium, the causative agent of malaria (transmitted via
the bite of the Anopholes female mosquito
 Has no organelle for movement

SUPERGROUP/CLADE-CHROMALVEOLATA:
KINGDOM ALVEOLATA-PHYLUM CILIOPHORA

 LARGE AND DIVERSE GROUP WHICH USES CILIA FOR LOCOMOTION
 MOST ARE PREDATORS OF BACTERIA OR SMALLER PROTISTS
 CILIA MAY COVER ENTIRE SURFACE OF ORGANISM OR CAN BE CLUSTERED IN
ROWS OR TUFTS
 UNIQUE IN HAVING 2 TYPES OF NUCLEI (MACRO & MICRO)
 MACRO NUCLEI GOVERN ACTIVITIES OF THE CELL; MICRO ARE USED IN
REPRODUCTION
 REPRODUCE BY BINARY FISSION WHERE PARTNERS EXCHANGE MICRO
NUCLEI
 SOME CAN CONTAIN A TOXIN
 HAVE AN ORAL GROOVE; LEADS TO PLACE OF INGESTION
 HAVE FOOD AND CONTRACTILE VACUOLES
 HAS ANAL PORE FOR WASTE DISCHARGE
 HAVE HOLOZOIC NUTRITION (WHOLE PREY ITEM IS INGESTED)

SUPERGROUP/CLADE-RHIZARIA: KINGDOM
CERCOZOA-PHYLUM RADIOLARIA

 OLD NAME PHYLUM NAME WAS ACTINOPODA (MEANING “RAY
FOOT”)
 MOVEMENT IS VIA AXOPODIA (THEIR PSEUDOPODIA); THESE
STRUCTURES HELP THEM FLOAT& FEED
 HAS AN INTERNAL SKELETON COMPRISED OF SILICA (GIVES THEM
A GLASSY APPEARANCE
 LIVE IN MARINE WATERS
 HELIOZOANS ARE THEIR FRESHWATER “COUSINS”

UPERGROUP/CLADE-RHIZARIA: KINGDOM
CERCOZOA-PHYLUM FORAMINIFERA

 NAME MEANS TO BEAR PORES
 SHELLS (CALLED TESTS) ARE SINGLE PIECES OF ORGANIC
MATERIAL, HARDENED WITH CALCIUM CARBONATE
 MARINE AND FRESH WATER
 MOST LIVE IN SAND OR CAN ATTACH THEMSELVES TO ROCKS OR
ALGAE
 MANY DERIVE NUTRIENTS FROM SYMBIOTIC ALGAE
 FORMED WHITE CLIFFS OF DOVER, UK

SUPERGROUP/CLADE-ARCHAEPLASTIDA:
KINGDOM RHODOPHYTA

 COMMON NAME IS “RED ALGAE”
 COLORATION COMES FROM PHYCOERYHTRIN, WHICH MASKS THE COLOR OF
CHLOROPHYLL, GIVING MEMBERS GREENISH-RED TO BRIGHT RED
 HAS CHLOROPHYLLS A & D
 STORES CARBOHYDRATE AS FLORIDIAN STARCH
 UNLIKE OTHER ALGA, RED ALGAE DO NOT HAVE FLAGELLATED GAMETES;
WATER CURRENTS MUST MOVE THEM
 SOME ARE HETEROTROPHIC ANDPARASITIZE OTHER RED ALGAE
 SOME CONTAIN CALCIUM CARBONATE WALLS AND ARE FOUND ON REEFS
(CORALLINE ALGAE)
 AGAR FOR BACTERIAL PLATES COMES FROM HERE; CARAGEENAN
(THICKENER FOR ITEMS SUCH AS ICE CREAM)
 SUSHI WRAPPING

SUPERGROUP/CLADE-ARCHAEPLASTIDA:
KINGDOM CHLOROPHYTA

 COMMON NAME IS “GREEN ALGAE”
 CHLOROPLASTS SIMILAR TO LAND PLANTS
 SOME SYSTEMATISTS ADVOCATE THE MOVE TO AN EXPANDED
PLANT KINGDOM, VIRIDIPLANTAE
 MOSTLY FRESH WATER, BUT SOME MARINE OR EVEN
TERRESTRIAL
 CARBOHYDRATE FORM IS STARCH CAELL WALL MADE OF
CELLULOSE
 CHLORPPHYLLS A & B

SUPERGROUP/CLADE-UNIKONTA
KINGDOM AMOEBAZOA; PHYLUM
MYXOGASTRIDA

 COMMON NAME “PLASMODIAL SLIME MOLDS”
 SIMILAR CHARACTERISTICS TO SOME FUNGI, BUT THIS IS
CONVERGENT EVOLUTION, MEANING THEY DID NOT ARISE FROM
SAME ANCESTOR
 THEY PROGRESS FROM A LARGE COENOCYTIC (MANY NUCLEI
PER CELL) MASS CALLED A PLASMODIUM; A MULTIMUCLEATED
MASS WITH CONTINOUS CYTOPLASM, UNBOUND BY MEMBRANES
OR WALLS
 USUALLY DIPLOID
 USUALLY BRIGHT COLORS LIKE YELLOW OR ORANGE
 FOUND IN LEAF LITTER, MULCH, OR MOIST SOIL

SUPERGROUP/CLADE-UNIKONTA
KINGDOM AMOEBAZOA; PHYLUM
DICTYOSTELIDA

 COMMON NAME “CELLULAR SLIME MOLDS”
 FEEDING STAGE CONSISTS OF SOLITARY CELLS (UNLIKE
PLASMODIAL SLIME MOLDS)

SUPERGROUP/CLADE-UNIKONTA
KINGDOM AMOEBAZOA; PHYLUM
GYMNAMOEBA

 KNOWN AS TUBULINIDS
 LARGE & DIVERSE GROUP OF AMOAEBOZOANS
 FOUND IN SOIL, FRESH, AND MARINE WATERS
 MOST ARE HETEROTROPHIC (THEY CONSUME BACTERIA AND
OTHER PROTISTS)
 SOME FEED ON DETRITUS (DEAD ORGANIC STUFF)

SUPERGROUP/CLADE-UNIKONTA
KINGDOM AMOEBAZOA; PHYLUM
ENTAMOEBA

 ENTAMOEBA INFECTS ALL CLASSES OF VERTEBRATES AND SOME
INVERTEBREATES
 E. histolytica, causative agent of amoebic dysentery, spread via
contaminated drinking water; 3rd leading cause of death from parasites
after malaria & schitomiasis