KINGDOM

PROTISTA
By Ahmed Mohamed
Amr Khaled
Fares Ahmed
 HELLO DEAR,
WE WILL TAKE YOU IN A SMALL
TRIP IN THE WORLD OF
PROTISTA.
TAKE YOUR BREATH AND ENJOY
 What are Protists?
• Ernst Haeckel was the one who first
introduced the idea of the kingdom
Protista in the year 1866. Protista are
primitive eukaryotic organisms and
exhibit a wide range of diversity in
size, shape, and life forms.
• They can be unicellular, multicellular,
or colonial.
• Protista contains a defined nucleus
and membrane-bound organelles.
 Characterstics of
Kingdom Protista
1- Any organism not classified as a plant, animal, fungus, or bacteria(prokaryote).
2-They are may be single-celled or multi-celled. They are normally aquatic and need a
moist environment to survive and multiply and are therefore found in oceans, marshes,
lakes, rivers, etc.
3-Some protists may live in symbiotic relationships or as parasites. They have
locomotive organs such as flagella, cilia, or false feet known as pseudopods.
4-Their locomotive organs help them to get their nutrition. Protists have three modes of
nutrition, and they may ingest(protozoa) or absorb(slime molds) or synthesize their
food(algae).
5-Microscopic & macroscobic.
6-Protists are important producers as about 50% of photosynthesis on the Earth is
carried out by protists such as algae.
7-Reproduction in protists is either by asexual means like binary fission or by sexual
means like the production and fusion of spores to form a diploid zygote
 Classification of Protists
•Protists are primarily classified according to how they obtain nutrition:

Animal-like Plant-like Fungal-like

Animal-like Plant-like Fungus-like

heterotrophs autotrophs Heterotrophs
(eat other organisms) They contain (Decomposers)
chloroplasts and make
their own food
Fungus-like Protists :
• General characteristics of fungus-like protists :
1- Heterotrophs ( decompose dead organisms ) .
2- Unlike fungi, have cell wall from cellulose.
3- Reproduce sexually and asexually
4- There are three types : Slime molds , Water molds
and Downy molds.
 Plant-like Protists : ( It is also calling Algae )
• General characteristics of Algae :
1- Unicellular and multicellular.
2- It is about colonies.
3- Have the ability to move freely.
4- Autotrophs because they have chloroplast.
5- Reproduce sexually and asexually.
6- Give us the pigments.
 Animal-like Protists : Protozoans
• General Characteristics of Protozoans :
1-Unicellular : Most animal-like protists are single-
celled organisms, although some may form colonies or
temporary multicellular structures.

2- Heterotrophic Nutrition : They are primarily h . Each of these

exhibits distinct characteristics tailored to their ecological niche
and mode of life.
3- Motility : Many animal-like protists are capable of movement,
which can be achieved through various structures like flagella,
cilia, or pseudopodia.
 Animal-like Protists : Protozoans
• General Characteristics of Protozoans :
4- Cellular Structure : They lack cell walls, unlike
plant-like protists (algae) Their cell membranes often
contain specialized structures for feeding and
movement
5- Reproduction : Reproduction in animal-like protists can occur
through various methods, including binary fission, multiple
fission, conjugation, or sexual reproduction
6-Diversity : Animal-like protists encompass a vast diversity of
forms, including amoebas, ciliates, flagellates, sporozoans, and
others. Each group exhibits unique characteristics and
lifestyles.
 Importance of Animal-like protists

1. Ecological roles : Protozoa play crucial roles in

various ecosystems as consumers and decomposers.
They feed on bacteria, algae, and other protists,
contributing to nutrient cycling and energy transfer
within food webs

2. Control of microorganism populations: Some

protozoa regulate populations of bacteria and algae,
helping to maintain ecological balance and prevent
harmful blooms or outbreaks
 Importance of Animal-like protists

3. Symbiotic relationships: Certain animal-like protists

form symbiotic relationships with other organisms. For
example, parasitic protozoa can cause diseases in humans
and animals, while mutualistic protozoa live symbiotically
in the guts of termites and aid in cellulose digestion

4. Research significance : Protozoa are essential subjects

for scientific research, especially in fields like microbiology
and parasitology. They serve as model organisms for
studying fundamental biological processes and
understanding disease mechanisms.
 Overall, animal-like protists
play significant roles in
ecosystems, from nutrient
cycling to disease transmission,
highlighting their importance in
ecological and scientific
contexts.
 1-Mastigophora or
2- Sarcodina or Amoeboids:
Flagellated protozoans
(The movement is by
(They have flagella for
pseudopodia).EX: Amoeba
locomotion).EX: Trypanosoma

Classification
Claudia Alves of protozoa Alfredo Torres

Protozoa are divided into

four major groups based
on the structure and the
4-Ciliophora or Ciliated part involved in the 3- Sporozoa or Sporozoans
protozoans locomotion (They don’t have any specialised
(They are aquatic and move with organ for locomotion).
cilia). EX: Plasmodium
EX: Paramecium
 NOW, WE WILL TALK ABOUT
EACH CLASS AND TAKE SMALL
BRIEF ABOUT EACH ONE OF
THEM
 Class : Sarcodines

General characteristics

1- Sarcodines anatomy is very simple as it only consists of a single cell, with

abundant protoplasm.
2- All the metabolic processes occur in the protoplasm.
3- Most of them are free living.
4- About locomotion : Sarcodines have pseudopods ( false foot ) that help them to
move and they also use them to catch food.
5- How Sarcodines eat ?
Sarcodines use unique process to eat by engulf the food particle by pinocytosis
and forming a vesicle-like structure around it. And digest this particles by
enzymes.
 Class : Sarcodines

1- Amoeba considered as the most familiar Sarcodins

2-It moves by pseudopods. For Example
3-The contractile vacuole functions to remove excess water
from the amoeba and thus maintain the osmotic pressure of
the organism and the amount of water inside it.
4- The amoeba possesses no mouth or anus.
5- Amoeba reproductive asexually by binary fission.
6-The amoebas can survive in extreme environmental
conditions by secreting a cyst membrane all around it and
becoming circular and losing all water. The amoebas get Amoeba
back to their original shape once the surroundings improve.
 Class :ciliates

General characteristics

1- Ciliates are generally considered the most evolved and complex of protozoans .
2- Ciliates are single-celled organisms that, have cilia, cilia is hair-like structure
that help ciliates in locomotion and food gathering.
3- Most ciliates have a flexible pellicle and contractile vacuoles.
4- Many of ciliates contain toxicysts or other trichocysts, small organelles with
thread- like structures that can be discharged for anchorage, for defense, or for
capturing prey.
5- This class in protozoans have the ability to reproduce sexually by conjugation and
asexually by binary fission.
 Class :ciliates

1- Paramecium is a single-celled and free living organism

2- The basic shape of paramecium is an elongated oval with
rounded or pointed ends.
For Example
3- Paramecium are completely covered with cilia (fine hair
like filaments) that help it in movement.
4- Paramecium has oral groove that work as mouth.
5- After oral grove there is gullet where food particles are
transformed into food vacuoles.
6- Digestion of food takes place within each food vacuole.
7- paramecium posses an anus ( anal pore ) that removes
waste material. Paramecium
8-paramecium has from one to several contractile vacuoles
located close to the surface of the cell that help in regulating
water content and osmotic pressure.
 Class : flagellates

General characteristics

1- They are unicellular organisms that posses one or more whip -like structures
called flagella.
2- Diverse: Flagellates are a diverse group of protists.They can be found in both
freshwater and marine environments, as well as in the soil.
3-Feeding: Flagellates exhibit a variety of feeding strategies. Some are
photosynthetic. Others are heterotrophic
4- Reproduction: Flagellates can reproduce asexually through cell division or
sexually.
5- The flagella of flagellates are used for locomotion, feeding, and capturing prey.
 Class : flagellates

For Example
1-Trypanosomes are single-celled organisms
2-They possess one flagellum.
3- Several Trypanosoma species cause severe diseases in
humans and animals. ( pathogenic )
4- Trypanosomes have an elongated, spindle-shaped or
slightly curved body
trypanosoma
 Class : sporozoans

General characteristics

1- They are unicellular organisms .

2- All sporozoans are parasitic ( heterotrophic ).
3- Unlike other groups of protozoans, sporozoans don’t have any structures for
movement.
4- They feed on cells and body fluids.
5- Have complex and diverse life cycle .
 Class : sporozoans

1- Plasmodium malaria is a single - celled sporozoan.

For Example
2- Have complex life cycle in two hosts ( mosquito and
vertebrate )
3- Infect liver and red blood cells in human.
4- Plasmodium malaria perform asexual reproduction in
liver cells in human. And in Oocyst in mosquito.
5- Plasmodium malaria perform sexual reproduction in Plasmodium
stomach of mosquito . malaria
 Thanks for you
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