Protists and Fungi

Module 18
 Protists
 All Protists are Eukaryotes.
 Some reproduce sexually
(_ parents, offspring with DNA
combination), while others
reproduce asexually(_ parent,
identical offspring).
Classifying Protists

 Some scientists classify protists by their methods of obtaining

nutrition.
 Animal-like protists.
 Plant-like protists.
 Fungus-like protists.
Animal-Like Protists(Protozoa)

 Protozoa are unicellular heterotrophs and usually ingest

bacteria, algae, or other protozoans.
Animal-Like Protists

Types of Protozoans:
 Sporozoan: unicellular protozoans, that reproduce
by spores(ex: Plasmodium)
 Sarcodina or Amoeboid: including amoeba; use
pseudopods for feeding and movement
 Flagellates: use flagella for movements. Can
cause diseases (ex. Trypanosoma and Giardia )
 Ciliates: They move with the help of cilia(ex:
Paramecium)
Plant-like Protists

 Plant-like protists make their food through

Photosynthesis.
 Called Algae.
 Characteristics of Algae:
* Contain photosynthetic pigments.
* Primary pigment is Chlorophyll.
* Secondary pigments allow them to
absorb light energy in deep water
Plant-like Protists
 Diatoms: unicellular algae; photosynthetic
 Dinoflagellates: Unicellular and have two
flagella
 Euglenoids: have characteristics of both
animals and plants
Plant-like Protists

 Algae:
 When food is available and the
environment is favorable, algae bloom
in great numbers.
 When the food supply is depleted, algae
die in large numbers
 As the dead algae decompose, the
oxygen supply in the water decreases,
suffocating fish and other aerobic
organisms.
Fungus-like Protists

 Fungus-like protists absorb their nutrients

from other organisms.
 Like fungi, they are
heterotrophs(decomposers)
 Fungus-like protists have cells with
cellulose in their cell wall while fungi have
chitin.
 Unlike fungi, Fungi-like protists can move.
Fungus-like Protists

 Types of fungus-like protists:

 Molds: feed on decaying matter; absorb nutrients through cell walls by
digesting organic matter.
 Water Molds and slime Molds: produce reproductive cells (spores); cell walls
made of different materials
Fungi

 The 3 characteristics of fungi:

 1. They are eukaryotes.
 2. They are non-motile
heterotrophs.
 3. They use spores to reproduce.
How do fungi obtain food?

 First, the fungus grows hyphae

into a food source.
 Then release chemicals from the
tips of the hyphae into the food.
 The digestive chemicals break
down the food into small
substances that can be absorbed
by the hyphae.
Fungi

Four groups of fungi:

 1. Chytrids fungi(commonly called Lower Fungi)
 2. Club fungi (ex: Mushroom)
 3. Sac Fungi (ex: Morels, Yeast)
 4. Zygomycota Fungi (commonly called Bread
Molds)
The benefits of fungi:

 1. Recycling of organic matter- decomposers

 2. Fermentation of food for example. yeast
 3. Medicine- fights some diseases (ex. Penicillium
produces a substance(an antibiotic) that kills the
bacteria growing near it.)