By Connor Murray , Alec Fuoti , and Whit Cummings

1. Rhizaria By Connor Murray, Alec Fuoti, and Whit Cummings

2. Features • Rhizaria is one of the five supergroups of protists, made up mostly by unicellular eukaryotes • They exist in a great variety of physical forms, but most of them are amoeboids that have pseudopods supported by microtubules • Pseudopodia are thread like extensions protruding from all parts of the cell that are used in mobilization and capturing prey • Most but not all rhizaria have a complex outer shell and a mitochondria • Rhizaria were discovered in 2002 by Cavalier-Smith

3. Species and Characteristics • Rhizaria is made up of three main eukaryotic groups: chlorarachniophytes, forams, and radiolarians • Chlorarachniophytes and forams have a closer common ancestor than radiolarians • Foramsare amoeboids with reticulosepseudopods • Radiolarians are amoeboids with axopods • Chlorarachniophytes are a form of cercozoa, a group of amoebae and flagellates with filose pseudopods

4. Harmful Example • A species of rhizaria known as Naegleriafowleriis a very dangerous form of amoeba found in the Southern United States • It thrives in warm fresh water of lakes, rivers, hot springs, and soil • It is a brain-eating parasite that is inhaled through the nose and travels into the brain • Most active in the summer, it was responsible for the deaths of three Americans in the south east

5. Beneficial Examples • Scientists are attempting to genetically reprogram amoeba to attack and consume harmful bacteria in soil to benefit crops • Since they naturally eat bacteria for food source, scientists believe that they can alter them to target certain harmful strains and use them for many agricultural and medical applications