Bzycl 132 Exp 1

EXPERIMENT 1 PROTISTS:
OBSERVATIONAND CLASSIFICATION OFSPECIMENS
MATERIALS REQUIRED:
1. Compound microscope.
2. Prepared slides of Amoeba, Paramecium, Euglena, and Plasmodium.
3. Drawing sheets/note book, an HB pencil and eraser
1. Amoeba
Classification and its Justification

Domain Eukaryota Membrane bound nucleus and organelles multiple chromosomes
complexed with histones.
Super-Group Unikonta Unicellular eukaryotes closely related to animals and fungi.
Group Amoebozoa Have lobe shaped or tube shaped locomotory organelles called
pseudopodia.
Class Tubulinea Tubular/finger shaped pseudopodia. Freshwater heterotrophs.
Genus Amoeb
i) The body is covered by a thin elastic, semi-permeable membrane called

plasmalemma.
ii) Under the plasmalemma, the protoplasm is clearly distinguished into an outer clear ectoplasm
and an inner granular fluid-like endoplasm.
iii) Try to identify the anterior and the posterior ends of Amoeba. The anterior end is characterised by
a thick layer of ectoplasm (the hyaline cap), while the posterior end is modified in the form of a tail
like region the uroid (The anterior end of Amoeba is the one in which direction a pseudopodium is
given out for progression).
iv) You will see some blunt, finger-like projections. These are the pseudopodia and are the
extensions of the protoplasm. Pseudopodia help the Amoeba to move in the medium and also in
capturing food.
v) You can also see the single, clearly stained nucleus, a large single contractile vacuole and large
number of food vacuoles in the endoplasm.
Habit and Habitat

Amoeba is commonly found in the mud, in fresh water ponds and ditches, and slow running
streams. It is abundantly found in the water with lots of decaying vegetation and bacteria.
Geographical Distribution: All over the world.

2. Euglena

complexed with histones. .
Super Group Excavata Unicellular eukaryotes having similar cytosketetal features. Some
with excavated feeding groove on one side of cell.
Phylum Euglenozoa Have a series of longitudinal microtubules under the cell membrane;
rod like structure inside their flagella. Predatory, heterotrophs,
photosynthetic autotrophs, mixotrophs and parasites.
Sub-phylum Euglenida Have peculiar microtubules with stiffen pellicle.
Class Euglenoidea Have pocket at one end from which arise two flagella;one small and
the other large. Mostly photosynthetic but some are
mixotrophs.
Genus Euglena
i) Euglena is an oval spindle shaped organism with a blunt anterior end and a pointed posterior end.
ii) Body is externally covered with a pellicle.
iii) Underneath the pellicle the cytoplasm is clearly differentiated into an outer ectoplasm and an
inner endoplasm.
iv) Anterior end of the body bears an opening cytostome, which continues internally as a tubular
cytopharynx. The cytopharynx leads into a large spherical reservoir.
v) From the base of the reservoir a single whip-like flagellum arises.
vi) A single large spherical nucleus is located towards the posterior region of the body.
vii) Cytoplasm also contains chlorophyll which is contained in bodies known as chloroplasts.
Habit and Habitat

Euglena is a solitary protozoan found in fresh water ponds, ditches, lakes and slow running streams
with a lot of vegetation. It is abundantly found in those ponds, which contain decaying nitrogenous
organic matter such as animal faeces, leaves, etc.
Geographical Distribution: Abundant in warm waters throughout the world..

3. Paramecium

Domain Eukaryota Membrane bound nucleus and organelles, multiple chromosomes
complexed with histones.
Super Group ‘SAR’Clade Unicellular eukaryotes Includes three groups i.e. Stramenopila,
Alveolata and Rizaria.
Group Alveolata Share a system of sacs called alveoli under their plasma membrane.
Phylum Ciliophora Cilia cover the body, presence of two types of nuclei: one large
macro-nucleus and another tiny micro-nucleus.
Genus Paramecium
Species caudatum/
Bursaria
i) It has a cigar-shaped or slipper-shaped body, hence commonly called slipper animalcule (=little
animal).
ii) Now focus it under high power (10X × 40X): The entire body is covered with pellicle, which shows
rows of tiny depressions.
iii) Look carefully at these depressions. From each such depression arises a cilium.
iv) These cilia cover the entire body and are uniform in size except at the posterior end of the body
where they are larger and form a caudal tuft. These cilia help the Paramecium in locomotion.
v) The anterior end is bluntly rounded and the posterior end is slightly pointed.
vi) One side of the organism has a depression, which leads into an oral groove. This groove ends in
the mouth or cytostome.
vii) Now observe the protoplasm, which is clearly divisible into an outer ectoplasm and an inner fluid-
like endoplasm. You can see series of rod like trichocysts under the pellicle embedded in the
endoplasm.
viii) The endoplasm contains two nuclei – one large kidney-shaped macronucleus and the other
small dot-like micronucleus.
ix) You can also see two contractile vacuoles – one towards the anterior end and the other towards
the posterior end.
x) Apart from these structures, many spherical food vacuoles can be seen in the endoplasm.
Habit and Habitat

Paramecium is found in fresh water ponds and ditches rich in dead and decaying vegetation.
Geographical Distribution: World wide

4. Plasmodium

complexed with histones
Super Group SAR Clade Includes of three groups of unicellular eukaryotes, Stramenopila,
Alveolata and Rizaria.
Group Alveolata Share a system of sacs called alveoli under their plasma membrane
Phylum Apicomplexa Parasitic, sporozoites have a set of organelles (apical complex) with
the anterior end specialised for penetrating the host cell and
tissue. Most with one or two hosts in their life cycle.
Class Coccidea Mature gamonts small; spores or oocyst present which contains
infective sporozoite. Two hosts in life cycle.
Genus Plasmodium
i) Plasmodium is an intracellular parasite of human and other vertebrates and causes malaria.
ii) The life history of Plasmodium (Fig. 1.4) is completed in two hosts, viz partly in a definite host, the
man and partly in an intermediate host, the female Anopheles mosquito.
iii) When an infected female Anopheles bites a human, sporozites are introduced in the blood from
where they reach in linear cells through blood stream and multiply to form merozoites.
iv) After a few cycles in the liver the merozoites enter the red blood corpuscles (RBCs) and feed on
its contents.
v) After having undergone 2-8 schizogonous changes in the main blood stream, the merozoites
assume different shapes called gametocytes.
vi) Development of gametocytes cannot proceed further in blood of human, therefore, they wait for
female Anopheles to bite and feed on the blood.
vii) When gametocytes reach through blood of human to Anopheles, they undergo sporogony for
further development.
viii) There are 4 species of Plasmodium causing different types of fever
i. P. vivax causes benign/tertian fever.
ii. P. falciparum causes malignant tertian fever
iii. P. malariae causes quartan fever
iv. P. ovale causes mild tertian fever
Habit and Habitat

Plasmodium is found as an intracellular parasite in blood of human and other vertebrates.
Geographical Distribution:
It is widely distributed in tropical and temperate countries of the world like India,
Srilanka,Bangladesh, Nepal and Pakistan.

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EXPERIMENT 1 PROTISTS:

OBSERVATIONAND CLASSIFICATION OFSPECIMENS

Classification and its Justification

i) The body is covered by a thin elastic, semi-permeable membrane called

Habit and Habitat

Geographical Distribution: All over the world.

Classification and its Justification

Habit and Habitat

Geographical Distribution: Abundant in warm waters throughout the world..

Classification and its Justification

Habit and Habitat

Geographical Distribution: World wide

Classification and its Justification

Habit and Habitat

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