[Protoza] Animal-like Protists, Classification and Characteristics
Classification of Protists Similar to Animals Or Protozoa! At school, of course, we have been introduced to various classifications of living things, ranging from single-celled living things to multi-celled living things.
Well, one living thing that has a single cell is a protist. Do you still remember what protists are?
Yes, Protista is one of the unicellular (single-celled) eukaryotic micro-organisms. However, these protists are neither animals nor plants, but are similar to animals, plants, and even fungi.
These protists are divided into three groups, namely animal-like protists (Protozoa), plant-like protists (algae), and fungus-like protists. However, in this review we will only discuss about animal-like Protists (Protozoa). Come on, see the review below!
Animal-like protists or often referred to as Protozoa are unicellular (single-celled) organisms that are eukaryotic, and have characteristics similar to animals.
This way of reproduction of Protozoa can occur sexually and asexually. Sexual reproduction occurs by conjugation, where conjugation is the process of attaching two cells to carry out an exchange of cell nuclei.
While asexual reproduction occurs by dividing / forming spores.
These protozoa can be found by you in various places such as in rice fields, rivers, ditches, dams, sea water, and even live in the bodies of other living things as parasites.
Animal-Like Protists (Protozoa)
The classification of these animal-like protists is based on their means of locomotion, namely Rhizopoda (false legs), Flagellates (whip feathers), Ciliates (vibrating feathers), and Sporozoa (no special locomotion).
Rhizopods
Rhizopods are animal-like protists that have pseudo-foot locomotion or pseudopodia that also function as tools for preying on food. These organisms reproduce asexually by binary fission or direct division.
One of the most well-known organisms in the phylum Rhizopoda is the Amoeba. Amoeba is one of the Rhizopods that move by using pseudopodia/pseudopodia, whose shape is always changing. These organisms reproduce asexually by dividing themselves.
Ciliates
Ciliates are a group of animal-like protists that have locomotion using cilia (vibrating hairs) which function as tools to move food to the cytostoma. The characteristics of Ciliata are as follows:
- Has a locomotion in the form of cilia (feathers vibrating)
- Has two cell nuclei, the macronucleus and the micronucleus
- Reproduce sexually by conjugation, and asexually by binary fission
- Has a trikokis that serves to protect from enemies
- Heterotrophic
The example of this Ciliata phylum is Paramecium or often referred to as the sandal animal. Why is it called like that? Because it looks like a sandal tread.
Paramecium is an organism that moves in water by using locomotion in the form of cilia (vibrating feathers). On the curved surface of the cell membrane there is a cell mouth, so that water can enter the cell mouth through the vibration of the cilia.
Besides Paramecium, examples of this ciliate phylum are Stentor Roeseli, Vorticella, Didinium, and many others.
Flagellates
Flagellates are a group of animal-like protists that have a locomotion using flagella (whip feathers) derived from long protoplasm resembling a whip. These flagellates have two flagella, namely in front of the cell and behind the cell. For more details, here are the characteristics of Flagellates, namely:
- Has a locomotion tool in the form of a flagellum (whip feathers)
- Reproduce asexually by binary fission
- Can live in water, symbiosis, or become a parasite in the body of animals or humans.
One example of the phylum Flagellata is Trypanosoma which reproduces by dividing. These trypanosomes live parasitically in the blood of humans and other vertebrates.
Sporozoa
Sporozoa is a group of animal-like protists that are different from other groups. Because, Sporozoa are Protozoa that do not have locomotion. Almost all types of Sporozoa live as parasites on the bodies of animals and humans. Well, below are the characteristics of Sporozoa, namely:
- Has no locomotion
- No contractile vacuole
- Have a complex life cycle
- Can reproduce sexually and asexually
- Can form spores
One example of this phylum Sporozoa is Plasmodium which lives as a parasite on the human body that can cause malaria. Plasmodium reproduces vegetatively and generatively.
This vegetative reproduction occurs by forming spores. While this generative reproduction occurs by forming gamete cells, where male gamete cells are called microgametosis and female gamete cells are called macrogametosis.
Thus a review of the classification of animal-like protists or commonly called protozoa. Hopefully it can be useful for readers.
