KINGDOM PROTISTA

Robert Whittaker - proposed the 5 kingdom system of classification in 1969, ONLY unicellular eukaryotic
organisms were placed in kingdom Protista

Kingdom Protista - broadly, to include not only unicellular eukaryotes but eukaryotes of multicellular yet
relatively simple organization.
- encompasses animal- like protest (protozoa), plantlike protest (algae), funguslike
- switch their mode of nutrition and are autotrophic at certain times and heterotrophic
at others
- are free- living form symbiotic relationship with various organisms.
- are aquatic and live in ocean; make up most of the plankton
- Paraphyletic group – contains some but not all of the descendants of common
eukaryote ancestor

Animal like Protists ( Protozoa)

» heterotrophs that ingest or absorb their food.

» capable of locomotion
» Four types of locomotions : pushing out cytoplasmic extensions; Flagellates (long, whiplike
sturctures), Ciliates (short, hairlike structures), Sporozoans, Amoeboids

Plant like Protists

» They use photosynthesis for food
» Algae and seaweeds
» Types : Red Algae, Brown Algae, Green Algae, Diatoms, Dinoflagellates, Euglenoids

Funguslike Protists
» Heterotrophs
» They also have cell walls and reproduce by forming spores, just like fungi. 
» Types :  slime molds and water molds

Reproduction:

- varied, that almost produce asexually and many also produce sexually often by syngamy
- do not produce multicellular reproductive organs, and form embryos way more complex

Syngamy – union of gametesome point

Most protists are unicellular some form:

» Colonies – loosely connected group of cells

» Coenocytic – a multinucleate mass of cytoplasm

» Multicellular – have simple body forms without specialized tissues

*Algae are autotrophic and photosynthesize, some are heterotroph protist obtain nutrients by
absorption, as fungi
KINGDOM PROTISTA

Plankton – the floating often mircoscopic organisms that are base of the food web in aquatic
ecosystems

2 TYPES of modern Research:

» Molecular data were initially obtained for gene that codes for the small subunit ribosomal RNA
in different eukaryotes

» Ultrastructure is the fine details of cell structure revealed by electron microscope.

- complement molecular data

EUGLENOIDS – freshwater flagellated, unicellular protist, moves by an anterior flagellum, and

Photosynthetic protists

 Unicellular that have 2 flagella (1 long, 2 so short)

 Change shape continually as it moves to water because of pellicle
 Contains chloroplasts & photosynthesize. Contains Chlorophyll a and b, carotenoids (the red-
orange eyespot; to help Euglenoid perceive direction of light)

 Reproduce asexually by cell division

 Energy reserves stored as polysaccharide called Paramylon

 Numbers detect organic pollution

Pellicle – outer covering; flexible rather than rigid

DINOFLAGELLATES – Unicellular, Biflagellated

 phylum Dinophyta

 Unicellular, some colonial

 Part of marine plankton

 Photosynthetic

 Biflagellated

 Contains brown pigment fucoxanthin

 have the pigments chlorophyll a, chlorophyll c and carotenoids

 Stores energy reserves as oils or polysaccharides