Page 5 - 11-Bio-7 The Kingdom protista

7. The Kingdom Protista (or protoctista) eLearn.Punjab

The Giant Amoeba
The giant amoeba Pelomyxa palustris may
be the most primitive of all eukaryote
like forms. This species has multiple
membrane-bound nuclei but none of
the other organelles found in all other
eukaryotes. The giant amoebas obtain
energy from methanogenic bacteria, which
reside inside them. Giant amoebas inhabit
mud at the bottom of freshwater ponds,
where they contribute to the degradation
of organic molecules

Animation 7.3: Amoeba
Source and Credit: ironic

(b) Zooflagellates:

These protists are mostly unicellular (a few are colonial) organisms with spherical or elongated
bodies with a single central nucleus. They possess from one to many long, whip-like flagella that
enable them to move. Flagellates move rapidly, pulling themselves forward by lashing flexible
flagella, that are usually located at the anterior end.

Flagellates obtain their food either by ingesting living or dead organisms or by absorbing nutrients
from dead or decomposing organic matter. They may be free-living, symbionts or parasites.
Trichonymphas are complex, specialized flagellates with many flagella which live as symbionts in
the guts of termites and help in the digestion of dry wood (Fig. 7.3a)

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