Protista

Facts on Protista

They are eukaryotic.
Most are single celled.
Often called the "trashcan" kingdom because any new species that is discovered goes into the Protista Kingdom if they don't have enough information about it to classify it. Wow that is nifty!

Three main phyla in Kingdom Protista are...

Ciliophora-8,000 of these species. Swim by means of cilia. Cilias are short, hairlike cytoplamic projections that line the cell membrane.
Pyrrophyta-(Dinoflagellates)They are also known as "fire" algae because they have a red pigment. They also have a unique spinning motion.
Sarcodina-(Sarcodines)Move and feed by use of a "false foot" known as pseudopod. It's an extension of the cytoplasm.

Bell Animalcule

Scientific name-Vorticella Ciliates
Named Bell Animalcule because it looks like a bell when it is fully extened.
They live in fresh or salt water, often in colonies that may contain between five and several hundred organisms.
Out of all the microscopic creatures in fresh water it is one of the most common.
Can be found attatched to anything!
Each Bell Animalcule has its own stalk.
The stalk enables the organisms to attach to aquatic plants and animals, submerged objects, or surface scum.
Feed on suspended bacteria and it also eats algal unicells and smaller protozoa.

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