Euglena

• • • • • Euglena is a type of euglenoid. Euglenoids are unicellular microorganisms, that have a flexible body. They possess the characteristic features of plants and animals. Euglena has plastids and performs photosynthesis in light, but moves around in search of food using its flagellum at night. There are around 1000 species of Euglena found. They are found in freshwater, saltwater, marshes and also in moist soil. Euglena Classification Euglena is a genus of euglenoids. The classification of Euglena is contentious. They are kept in the phylum Euglenozoa or in the phylum Euglenophyta with algae due to the presence of chlorophyll. Since all the species of Euglena do not contain chloroplasts, they are kept in the phylum Euglenozoa. The class Kinetoplasteae in the phylum Euglenozoa contains non-photosynthetic flagellates known as Trypanosomes, which are parasitic and cause serious diseases in humans such as African sleeping sickness, leishmaniasis. Morphology and Anatomy • Euglena has an elongated cell measuring 15-500 micrometres • Mostly green in colour due to the presence of chlorophyll pigment • Some of the species of euglena contain carotenoid pigments, which give it distinct colour like red • Euglena is unicellular having one nucleus • Euglena lacks the cellulose cell wall present in a plant cell • There is a presence of a flexible outer membrane known as a pellicle, which supports the plasma membrane. The pellicle is composed of a proteinaceous strip and supporting m...

\( \newcommand\) • • • • • Euglena is a genus of unicellular, freshwater organisms that are very common in ponds and small bodies of water, especially if they are rich in nutrients and consequently high in algae (aka 'pond scum' ). As noted below, Euglena itself is sometimes photosynthetic and is a component of the green sludge in such ponds. But at other times it is non-photosynthetic and is a component of the diverse group of organisms that are eating the green sludge or perhaps eating the other things that eat the green sludge. Taxonomy and Phylogeny Euglena are in a small group (less than 1000 species), that in the past was claimed by both zoologists (because they are mobile and some are heterotrophic) and by botanists (because some members photosynthesize). Accordingly, the group has sometimes called ' Euglenozoa' by zoologists ( 'zoa' refers to animals) and has been called 'Euglenophyta' by botanists ( 'phyta' refers to plants). In the past the group has been put in the Protist Kingdom. Recent phylogenetic studies have them diverging very early from other eukaryotes and consequently putting them in a very small group that contains very unfamiliar unicellular organisms. Some close relatives of Euglena include the causal organism for sleeping sickness and for Chagas disease. Complicating their taxonomy is the fact that some in the group are clearly composite organisms, being the product of secondary endosymbiosis when a green algal was consumed but not digested by a fl...

Gerd Guenther/Science Photo Library/Getty Images Euglena are tiny Euglena. These single-celled eukaryotes have characteristics of both Euglena that typically live in both fresh and saltwater aquatic environments. Euglena can be found in ponds, lakes, and streams, as well as in waterlogged land areas like marshes. Euglena Taxonomy Due to their unique characteristics, there has been some debate as to the phylum in which Euglena should be placed. Euglena have historically been classified by scientists in either the phylum Euglenozoa or the phylum Euglenophyta. Euglenids organized in the phylum Euglenophyta were grouped with Euglena do not have chloroplasts and the ones that do obtained them through endosymbiosis, some scientists contend that they should be placed taxonomically in the phylum Euglenozoa. In addition to photosynthetic euglenids, another major group of non-photosynthetic Euglena known as kinetoplastids are included in the Euglenozoa phylum. These organisms are parasites that can cause serious Claudio Miklos/Wikimedia Commons/Public Domain Common features of photosynthetic Euglena cell anatomy include a nucleus, contractile vacuole, mitochondria, Golgi apparatus, endoplasmic reticulum, and typically two flagella (one short and one long). Unique characteristics of these cells include a flexible outer membrane called a pellicle that supports the plasma membrane. Some euglenoids also have an eyespot and a photoreceptor, which aid in the detection of light. Euglena Ce...

Euglena is a genus of unicellular, freshwater organisms that are very common in ponds and small bodies of water, especially if they are rich in nutrients and consequently high in algae (aka ‘pond scum’). As noted below, Euglena itself is sometimes photosynthetic and is a component of the green sludge in such ponds. But at other times it is non-photosynthetic and is a component of the diverse group of organisms that are eating the green sludge or perhaps eating the other things that eat the green sludge. Taxonomy and Phylogeny Euglena are in a small group (less than 1000 species), that in the past was claimed by both zoologists (because they are mobile and some are heterotrophic) and by botanists (because some members photosynthesize). Accordingly, the group has sometimes called ‘Euglenozoa’ by zoologists (‘zoa’ refers to animals) and has been called ‘Euglenophyta’ by botanists (‘phyta’ refers to plants). In the past the group has been put in the Protist Kingdom. Recent phylogenetic studies have them diverging very early from other eukaryotes and consequently putting them in a very small group that contains very unfamiliar unicellular organisms. Some close relatives of Euglena include the causal organism for sleeping sickness and for Chagas disease. Complicating their taxonomy is the fact that some in the group are clearly composite organisms, being the product of secondary endosymbiosis when a green algal was consumed but not digested by a flagellate. Structure Euglena is ...

If you go outside to a pond or stream and scoop up a bucket of water, you will probably have many microorganisms in the bucket. One very common one is known as Euglena. Euglena is a unicellular microorganism belonging to the kingdom Protista. Members of kingdom Protista are mostly unicellular organisms that are found in damp places or in water. Protists are often considered a challenge to classify by scientists because of their unique characteristics. Some protists have chloroplasts and undergo photosynthesis to produce energy, making them plant-like. Other protists are completely heterotrophic, which means they eat other organisms and obtain their energy by means other than photosynthesis, making them animal-like. A few species of protists even live in damp places and feed off of decomposing matter, making them fungus-like. These variations, as well as the abundance of body types, have made them a challenge to classify. The Euglena are unicellular organisms with flagella. These flagella are long whip-like tails used for movement. Structurally, they do not have a cell wall. Instead, they have a thick outer covering, known as a pellicle, that is composed of protein and gives them both strength and flexibility. They are eukaryotes; this means that inside of them you can find all common cellular organelles, such as ribosomes to make proteins, mitochondria to produce energy, chloroplasts to produce energy, a nucleus to control activities, and vacuoles for storage. Euglena are ...

What is Euglena? Euglena are unicellular microorganisms in the kingdom Protista, also referred to as protists. Euglena are typically found in damp and aquatic (fresh and saltwater) environments. Euglena blooms create color changes in water, usually a greenish color. Euglena are both autotrophs and heterotrophs. Autotrophs are classified as organisms that make their own food by way of photosynthesis. Heterotrophs are organisms that obtain food by way of other organisms. Euglena can be found in ponds, streams, lakes, rivers, marshes, and brackish water. Euglena Classification All living organisms are classified into eight distinct groups or levels, known as the Linnean system. Levels include domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, and species in that order based on shared characteristics and lineage. Domain is the largest grouping of classifications and includes eukaryota, bacteria, and archaea. The second largest grouping of organisms is kingdom. Kingdom includes plants, animals, fungi, and protists. The smallest level is species. Species are classified as organisms that are able to reproduce with each other. Closely related species are classified as genera or singular genus, which is the level above species. Species are named using binomial nomenclature, where each species has a two part Latin name, where the genus comes first, followed by the species. Euglena belongs to the kingdom Protista. For a long time, taxonomists argued about whether Euglena should be...

Euglena is a motile, single-celled (unicellular) organism that is commonly found in aquatic habitats. They were among the first organisms in the kingdom Protista to be seen under the microscope, looking like a tiny particle making small movements in the water. Euglena is generally green in color due to the presence of Unlike the photosynthetic group, there is a parasitic group of Euglena that causes serious blood and tissue diseases such as African sleeping sickness and leishmaniasis in humans. Euglena The internal structures found in a typical photosynthetic Euglena are as follows: • Pellicle: A thin, flexible membrane that supports the plasma membrane and helps them to change shape • Plasma Membrane: The selectively permeable membrane that protects the inner content of the cell from the outside environment • • Chloroplast: Contains the green pigment chlorophyll that helps them to produce food using sunlight by photosynthesis • Nucleus: A membrane-bound organelle that contains the genetic material, DNA. It also contains a distinct • • • • It is of two types: • Lysosomes: Small membrane-bound organelles filled with hydrolytic enzymes that break down large molecules such as carbohydrates, fats, and proteins • Contractile • Reservoir: The inward pocket present near the base of the • Flagellum: A long whip-like structure attached externally to the cell body that helps in cell movement. An • Eyespot: A region that is highly colored and contains red-colored carotenoid pigments ...