Biology · Ch 2 — Biological Classification
Euglenoids
Euglenoids
The majority of Euglenoids are fresh water organisms found in stagnant water. A distinctive feature is that, instead of a cell wall, they have a protein-rich layer called the pellicle, which makes their body flexible and able to change shape.
Other characteristic features:
- they have two flagella, one short and one long, used for swimming through the water
- though they are photosynthetic in the presence of sunlight, when deprived of sunlight they behave like heterotrophs, predating on other smaller organisms; this dual mode of nutrition is one of their most striking traits
- interestingly, the pigments of euglenoids are identical to those present in higher plants, which points to a close relationship with the plant world …
Drawn by us to help you understand the concept clearly, and verified to make sure it's accurate. For exams, practice from your NCERT textbook's own diagram.
This composite figure shows four representative members of the Kingdom Protista. In (a) a dinoflagellate is drawn with its stiff cellulose plates on the cell surface and a furrow housing its flagella; these are mostly marine, photosynthetic forms. In (b) Euglena is shown as a spindle-shaped cell with a long flagellum and a flexible pellicle instead of a cell wall, able to switch between photosynthesis and a heterotrophic mode. In (c) a slime mould appears as an irregular, lobed mass that creeps over decaying material engulfing organic matter. In (d) Paramoecium is a slipper-sha …