A)Why is Euglena called the connecting link between plants and animals
B)Write a note on euglenoids and slime molds?
A)Why is Euglena called the connecting link between plants and animals
B)Write a note on euglenoids and slime molds?
Euglena possesses characters of both plants and animals. It possesses chlorophyll similar to plants and thus synthesizes food in presence of light by photosynthesis. It lacks a cell wall and also acts as a heterotroph in absence of light that are the characters of animals. Thus, it is said to be a connecting link between plants and animals.
However, it is a unicellular, eukaryotic microscopic organism due to which it is placed under kingdom Protista that contains all unicellular, eukaryotic organisms.
Euglenoids have an outer protein layer called the pellicle. They are unicellular and biflagellate. They are photosynthetic in the presence of sunlight and prey on smaller organisms in the absence of sunlight.
Figure : Euglena
Slime moulds (or slime moulds) are earlier grouped under fungi, however, later they are kept in the kingdom Protista with other unicellular and small multicellular eukaryotic organisms. They are saprophytic and feed on dead and decaying organic matter. The name ‘slime’ comes from the gelatinous appearance of macroscopic slime moulds. Under unfavourable conditions, they form aggregates, this is common in plasmodial or acellular slime moulds. Their size varies from a few centimetres to several square metres.
Figure : Slime molds
Euglena possesses characters of both plants and animals. It possesses chlorophyll similar to plants and thus synthesizes food in presence of light by photosynthesis. It lacks a cell wall and also acts as a heterotroph in absence of light that are the characters of animals. Thus, it is said to be a connecting link between plants and animals.
However, it is a unicellular, eukaryotic microscopic organism due to which it is placed under kingdom Protista that contains all unicellular, eukaryotic organisms.
Euglenoids have an outer protein layer called the pellicle. They are unicellular and biflagellate. They are photosynthetic in the presence of sunlight and prey on smaller organisms in the absence of sunlight.
Figure : Euglena
Slime moulds (or slime moulds) are earlier grouped under fungi, however, later they are kept in the kingdom Protista with other unicellular and small multicellular eukaryotic organisms. They are saprophytic and feed on dead and decaying organic matter. The name ‘slime’ comes from the gelatinous appearance of macroscopic slime moulds. Under unfavourable conditions, they form aggregates, this is common in plasmodial or acellular slime moulds. Their size varies from a few centimetres to several square metres.
Figure : Slime molds
