Protista Kingdom general characters

 Protista Kingdom 

Protistas such as molds and algae are multicellular, i.e., they are made up of more than one cell. Amoeba, paramecium, and euglena are unicellular organisms belonging to the kingdom Protista.

Protists are eukaryotic organisms that fall outside the categories of animals, plants, or fungi. They do not constitute a natural group or clade. Rather, they encompass a diverse range of organisms, including algae.

Protista kingdom

Protista general characteristics

• They generally live in marine water.
• Photosynthetic autotrophs.
• Algae are under in protists.
• The 3 colors are yellow, green, blue, and red.
• The cell wall is present and made up of cellulose plates.
• Two flagella: one lies longitudinally and the other one is transversely in a furrow between the plates.
• Red dinoflagellates (red tides in the ocean. ex: Ganyaukax)
• Toxic: kill marine animals such as fish.

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Protista: Euglanoids

• Fresh water and stagnant water.
• Protein-rich layer: Pellicle: body flexible.
• Two flagellates are present.
• Photosynthetic.
• Heterotrophs.
• Euglenoids exhibit the distinctive characteristics of both plants and animals.
• They are found in freshwater.

Euglanoid in protista

Protista: Slime molds

• Protists slime molds and like slime.
• Saprophytic protists.
• Engulfing organic material.
• Plasmodium: Grow and spread.
• Unfavrable conditions: spores.
• Spores: Extremely resistant.
• Spores dispersed: By air current.
• Fungus-like protists grow as slimy masses on decaying matter.
• Water molds, also known as fungus-like protists, inhabit moist soil and surface water environments. They can be found living either as parasites, preying on other organisms, or thriving on decaying organic matter.

Slime Moulds

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Protista: Protozoans

• Heterotrophs.
• Predators.
• Parasites, live in a body and take food from their cells or their body.
• They have flagella for their free locomotion.
• The body is protected by a thin outer layer called a pellicle or cuticle.
• Reproduction is by binary fission (longitudinal division).
• Freshwater forms have a contractile vacuole.

Protozoans

Protozoans are of four categories:

1. Amoebian protozoans: 
   Live in freshwater, seawater, or moist soil.
   They are like the amoeba.
   Pseudopodia (false feet).
   Marine organisms possess silica shells on their surface.
   Entamoeba are parasites.
2. Flagellated protozoans:
   Free-living: they have flagella.
   They have flagella.
   Parasitic (cause disease).
   Sleeping sickness (a disease).
   Example: Trypanosoma.
3. Ciliated protozoans:
   Aquatic.
   They are ciliated.
   Actively moving by cilia.
   Cavity (gullet).
   They are ciliated.
   The synchronized motion of cilia rows directs the water, laden with food particles, into the gullet.
   Example: Paramecium.
4. Sporozoans:
   Infectious spore.
   Plasmodium (malarial parasite).
   They have a spore-like shape.

MCQs and questions on Protista Kingdom general characters 

Q. Which of the following organisms belong to the Protista kingdom?

   a) Molds and algae

   b) Plants and animals

   c) Fungi and bacteria

   d) Amoeba and paramecium

   

Answer: a) Molds and algae

Q. Protists are eukaryotic organisms that are not classified as animals, plants, or fungi. True or False?

Answer: True

Q. What is a characteristic feature of algae, which is a type of protist?

   a) Photosynthetic autotrophs

   b) Marine animals

   c) Fungal parasites

   d) Heterotrophs

   

Answer: a) Photosynthetic autotrophs

Q. Which colors are commonly associated with protists?

   a) Orange, purple, and white

   b) Yellow, green, blue, and red

   c) Black, brown, and gray

   d) Pink, turquoise, and silver

   

Answer: b) Yellow, green, blue, and red

Q. What is the composition of the cell wall in protists?

   a) Chitin

   b) Cellulose plates

   c) Silica shells

   d) Keratin

   

Answer: b) Cellulose plates

Q. How many flagella do protists typically have?

   a) One

   b) Two

   c) Three

   d) Four

   

Answer: b) Two

Q. Red dinoflagellates, which can cause red tides in the ocean, are an example of protists. True or False?

Answer: True

Q. What is a characteristic of slime molds?

   a) They are photosynthetic autotrophs

   b) They grow on decaying matter

   c) They are multicellular organisms

   d) They have flagella for locomotion

   

Answer: b) They grow on decaying matter

Q. Under unfavorable conditions, slime molds produce:

   a) Pellicles

   b) Spores

   c) Silica shells

   d) Pseudopodia

   

Answer: b) Spores

Q. What is the mode of dispersal for slime mold spores?

    a) Water currents

    b) Air currents

    c) Animal transport

    d) Self-propulsion

   

Answer: b) Air currents

Q. Protozoans are a category of protists that are:

    a) Autotrophs

    b) Heterotrophs

    c) Decomposers

    d) Fungi-like

   

Answer: b) Heterotrophs

Q. How do protozoans move?

    a) Flagella

    b) Pseudopodia

    c) Cilia

    d) All of the above

   

Answer: d) All of the above

Q. Which protozoan is responsible for causing sleeping sickness?

    a) Amoeba

    b) Paramecium

    c) Trypanosoma

    d) Plasmodium

   

Answer: c) Trypanosoma

Q. What is the method of reproduction for protozoans?

    a) Binary fission

    b) Budding

    c) Sexual reproduction

    d) Fragmentation

   

Answer: a) Binary fission

Q. Sporozoans are a type of protozoan that:

    a) Infect other organisms through spores

    b) Have a contractile vacuole

    c) Move using cilia

    d) Photosynthesize

   

Answer: a) Infect other organisms through spores