Q.Draw a neat labelled diagram of Euglena.
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Start your 14-day free trial to unlock the full solution →[!ANSWER] Euglena's structure combines locomotory, photosynthetic and osmoregulatory organelles within a flexible, elongated cell.
At the anterior end, a single flagellum emerges from a small pocket-like invagination called the reservoir, and is used to propel the cell through water with an undulating beat. Close to the base of the flagellum lies the eyespot (stigma), a reddish, light-sensitive pigmented structure that allows Euglena to detect the direction and intensity of light and orient its swimming accordingly (important since Euglena is capable of photosynthesis). Nearby, one or more contractile vacuoles periodically fill with excess water drawn in from the surrounding environment and then discharge this water to the exterior, regulating the cell's internal water balance (osmoregulation), a particularly important function for a cell living in fresh water. Scattered through the cytoplasm are numerous disc- or oval-shaped chloroplasts, containing the pigments needed for photosynthesis, allowing Euglena to manufacture much of its own food in the light (though it can also absorb nutrients directly when light is unavaila …
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