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What are Protozoa?

What are Protozoa?. proto = first zoa = animals. single-celled eukaryotic organisms. Combined Protein Consensus Tree. From S.L. Baldauf (1999) Am. Nat. 154:S178. What are Protozoa?. proto = first zoa = plant/animal?. Unicellular eukaryotes protozoa algae yeast/fungi slime molds.

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What are Protozoa?

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  1. What are Protozoa? proto = first zoa = animals single-celled eukaryotic organisms

  2. Combined Protein Consensus Tree From S.L. Baldauf (1999) Am. Nat. 154:S178

  3. What are Protozoa? proto = first zoa = plant/animal? • Unicellular eukaryotes • protozoa • algae • yeast/fungi • slime molds

  4. mm = micron = 10-6 meters (1/1000 mm)

  5. Protozoan Life Styles • absorb solutes (osmotrophy) • ingest particulates (phagotrophy) • predation on bacteria or other protozoa • pinocytosis (fluid uptake) • photosynthetic (autotrophy) • combinations (heterotrophy) free-living vs. symbiosis

  6. Protozoan Reproduction

  7. Protozoan Diversity • >200,000 named species • ~10,000 parasites • ~20 human pathogens

  8. Protozoan Motility

  9. Protozoan Taxonomy • confused, controversial and constantly changing • originally based on motility (light microscope) • ultrastructural (electron microscope) criteria used since 1960’s • molecular data can help with evolutionary relationships • monophyletic groups • descended from common ancestor • kinetoplastids, apicomplexa, ciliates • polyphyletic groups • multiple ancestors • amebas and flagellates Genus + species

  10. What are Protozoa? • unicellular eukaryote • ? • ? • ? • extremely diverse But not simple!

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