What Animals Are In The Protista Kingdom

What are Protists?

Protists are simple eukaryotic organisms that are neither plants nor animals or fungi. Protists are unicellular in nature but tin also be found every bit a colony of cells. Most protists live in water, clammy terrestrial environments or even as parasites.

Euglena, a eukaryotic protist

The term 'Protista' is derived from the Greek word "protistos", meaning "the very first".  These organisms are normally unicellular and the cell of these organisms contains a nucleus which is leap to the organelles. Some of them even possess structures that assistance locomotion similar flagella or cilia.

Scientists speculate that protists grade a link between plants, animals and fungi as these three kingdoms diverged from a common protist-like ancestor, billions of years ago. Though this "protists-like" ancestor is a hypothetical organism, we can trace some genes establish in modern animals and plants to these aboriginal organisms.

Therefore, these organisms are traditionally considered as the start eukaryotic forms of life and a predecessor to plant, animals and fungi.

Detailed Insight: Eukaryotic Cells

Characteristics of Kingdom Protista

The primary characteristic of all protists is that they are eukaryotic organisms. This means that they accept a membrane-enclosed nucleus. Other characteristic features of Kingdom Protista are as follows:

1. These are usually aquatic, present in the soil or in areas with moisture.
2. Nearly protist species are unicellular organisms, however, there are a few multicellular protists such every bit kelp. Some species of kelp grow and then large that they exceed over 100 anxiety in height. (Giant Kelp).
3. But like whatever other eukaryotes, the cells of these species take a nucleus and membrane-jump organelles.
4. They may exist autotrophic or heterotrophic in nature. An autotrophic organism tin can create their own nutrient and survive. A heterotrophic organism, on the other hand, has to derive nutrition from other organisms such equally plants or animals to survive.
5. Symbiosis is observed in the members of this class. For example, kelp (seaweed) is a multicellular protist that provides otters, protection from predators amongst its thick kelp. In turn, the otters eat sea urchins that tend to feed on kelp.
6. Parasitism is also observed in protists. Species such as Trypanosoma protozoa can crusade sleeping sickness in humans.
7. Protists exhibit locomotion through cilia and flagella. A few organisms belonging to kingdom Protista have pseudopodia that aid them to movement.
8. Protista reproduces by asexual means. The sexual method of reproduction is extremely rare and occurs only during times of stress.

Read more: Kingdom Protista

Nomenclature of Protista

Kingdom Protista is classified into the following:

Protozoa

Protozoans are unicellular organisms. Historically, protozoans were called "fauna" protists as they are heterotrophic and showed fauna-similar behaviours.

In that location are besides parasitic protozoans which live in the cells of larger organisms. Most of the members practice non have a predefined shape. For instance, an amoeba can modify its shape indefinitely just a paramecium has a definite slipper-like shape. The near well-known examples of protozoans are amoeba, paramecium, euglena. Dissimilar other members of this group, euglena is a free-living protozoan that has chlorophyll, which ways information technology tin make its ain nutrient.

The protozoans tin can exist divided into four major groups:

1. Amoeboid protozoans –Mostly establish in h2o bodies, either fresh or saline. They have pseudopodia (imitation feet) which aid to modify their shape and in capturing and engulfing nutrient. E.yard. Amoeba
2. Flagellated protozoans –Every bit the name suggests, the members of this grouping accept flagella. They can be free-living likewise as parasitic. Eastward.k. Euglena
3. Ciliated protozoans –They have cilia all over their body which help in locomotion likewise as nutrition. They are always aquatic. Due east.g. Paramecium
4. Sporozoans – These organisms are so-chosen considering their life cycle has a spore-like phase. For instance, the malarial parasite, Plasmodium.

Slime Moulds

Slime moulds are saprophytic organisms (they feed on the expressionless and decaying thing). These are tiny organisms that have many nuclei.

Usually, Slime moulds are characterized by the presence of aggregates called plasmodium and are fifty-fifty visible to the naked eye.

Read more than: Slime moulds

Chrysophytes, Dinoflagellates and Euglenoids

These class another category under kingdom Protista. These are generally single-celled or multicellular organisms. These are photosynthetic, institute generally in freshwater sources or marine lakes. They are characterized by a stiff cell wall.

Instance of chrysophytes include diatoms and aureate algae. They are characterised by the presence of a hard siliceous jail cell wall. Diatomaceous earth is formed due to the accumulation of cell wall deposits. They are photosynthetic organisms.

Dinoflagellates are photosynthetic and establish in various different colours, according to the pigment present in them. They show bioluminescence and known to cause red tide.

Euglenoids are the link between plants and animals. They lack a cell wall just perform photosynthesis. In the absence of sunlight, they act as a heterotroph and feed on modest organisms. The outer trunk covering is a protein-rich layer known as a pellicle. E.1000. Euglena, Trachelomonas, etc.

Read more: Algae

Economic Importance of Protists

• Protists serve as the foundation of the food concatenation.
• Protists are symbionts – having a close human relationship between two species in which, one is benefited.
• Some protists besides produce oxygen and may be used to produce biofuel.
• Protists are the primary sources of food for many animals.
• In some rare cases, Protists are harvested by humans for food and other industrial applications.
• Phytoplankton is ane of the sole food sources for whales
• Seaweed is an alga, which is considered a constitute-like protist.
• Zooplankton is fed on by diverse body of water creatures including shrimp and larval crabs.

Topics That May Interest You lot:

• Five kingdom nomenclature system
• Endospores
• Mass Extinctions

For more detailed information on kingdom Protista, or whatever other related topics, delight explore BYJU'S Biology.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are Protists?

Protists include a vast collection of single-celled and multicellular organisms that have a nucleus. They too possess highly specialized cellular machinery called cell organelles that aid in performing diverse life processes. Near protists are free-living autotrophs (such as algae) while others are heterotrophic (Amoeba) or even parasitic (Trypanosoma protozoa).

State a few examples of Protists.

Amoeba, Paramecium, Euglena Plasmodium, etc.

How are Protists classified?

Protists are broadly classified into 5 subdivisions based on their general feature features. They are classified equally:

• Chrysophytes
• Dinoflagellates
• Euglenoids
• Slime moulds
• Protozoans

Outline the characteristics of Kingdom Protista.

• All protists are eukaryotic organisms. This means that they have a membrane-enclosed nucleus and other jail cell organelles.
• Almost protists are aquatic, others are found in moist and damp environments.
• Most are unicellular, withal, there are a few multicellular protists such as the giant kelp.
• They may be autotrophic or heterotrophic in nature.
• Parasitism is too observed in some protists.
• Others exhibit symbiosis.

Are all Protists unicellular?

No, not all Protists are unicellular. Protists such as moulds and algae are multicellular, i.due east., they are made upward of more than than one prison cell. Amoeba, paramecium and euglena are unicellular organisms belonging to kingdom Protista.

Source: https://byjus.com/biology/protista/

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