KINGDOM PROTOCTISTA

SHORT QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Q.1. What are the characteristics of protista?

Ans:

The unifying feature of protists, are common to complex multi-cellular

organisms belonging to the three eukaryotic kingdoms (Fungi, Plantae and
Animalia) but clearly differentiate( ‫)علیحدہ کرنا‬protists from members of the
prokaryotic kingdom (Monera), Unlike plants and animals, however, protists
do not develop from a blastula or an embryo.

Q.2. Robert Whittaker was famous for?

Ans: Robert Whittaker placed the unicellular eukaryotes in kingdom

protista.

Currently this kingdom includes colonial and simple multicellular eukaryotes

as well.

Q.3.What do you know about the work of Margulis and Schwartz?

Ans: Margulis and Schwartz (1988) modified the five kingdom system.
Protista or Protoctista is one of the five kingdoms.

Q.4.What type of diversity evolved by the kingdom protists with the

evolutionary time?

Ans: Protista have evolved diversity in their

(a) Size and structure
(b) Means of locomotion
(c) Ways of obtaining nutrients
(d) Interactions with other organisms
(e) Habitat
(f) Modes of reproduction.
Q.5. Is kingdom protista is polyphyletic groups?

Ans: Yes, Based on the diversity, most biologists regard the protists
kingdom as a polyphyletic group of organisms; that is, the protists probably
do not share a single common ancestor.

Q.6. What is the scientific name of giant amoeba? How is it differ

from other eukaryotic organisms? (G 2009 L 2007)

Ans: The scientific name is Pelomyxapalustirs.

This species has multiple membrane-bound nuclei but none of the other
organelles found in all other eukaryotes. The giant amoebas obtain energy
from methanogenic bacteria, which reside inside them.

Q7: What do you know about the trichonymphas? (L 2009)

Ans: Trichonymphas: Flagellates obtain their food either by ingesting

living or dead organisms or by absorbing ( ‫ )جزب کرنا‬nutrients from dead or
decomposing organic matter.

They may be free-living, symbionts or parasites.

Trichonymphas are complex, specialized flagellates with many flagella which

live as symbionts in the guts of termites and help in the digestion of dry
wood.

Q8: What do you know about the parasitic zooflagellates?

Ans: Parasitic flagellates cause diseases.

For example Trypanosoma is human parasite causing African sleeping

sickness.

It is transmitted by the bite of infected ( ‫ )اثر کرنا‬tsetse fly.

Q09. Describe the free living zooflagellates

Or

What are choanoflagellates? (G 2013)

Ans: Choanoflagellates are sessile marine or freshwater flagellates which are

attached by a stalk and their single flagellum is surrounded by a delicate
collar.

They are of special interest because of their striking (‫)خ ا ص‬resemblance (‫)مشابہت‬
to collar cells in sponges.

Q.10. What is the function of contractile vacuole in ciliates?

Ans: Water regulation in freshwater ciliates is controlled by special

organelles called contractile vacuoles.

Q.11. What is pellicle? Tell its function (G 2013)

Ans: Ciliates are unicellular organisms with a flexible outer covering called a
pellicle that gives them a definite but changeable shape.

Q.12. How ciliates differ from other protozoans?

Ans: Ciliates differ from other protozoans in having two kinds of nuclei.

One or more small diploid micronuclei that function in sexual process and a
large polyploidy macronucleus that controls cell metabolism and growth.

Q.13. Describe the mode of function of different nuclei in ciliates? (L

2010 G 2010)

Ans: One or more small diploid micronuclei that function in sexual process,
and a large, polyploidy macronucleus that controls cell metabolism and
growth

Q.14. Differentiate between tests of foraminiferans and Actinopods?

( L 2007, 2009)

Ans: Tests of foraminifera are made of calcium whereas those of Actinopods

are made of silica.
Q.15. What are the symptoms of malaria?

Ans: A chill, followed by high fever caused by toxic substances that are
released and affect other organs of the body.

Q.16. In what instance algae differ from plants? (G 2005)

Ans: Algae differ from the plants in their sex organs which are unicellular
and the zygote is not protected by the parent body.

Q.17. Define thallus (G 2013)

Ans: A body which is not differentiates ( ‫ )علیحدہ کرنا‬into true roots, stems and
leaves and lacks xylem & phloem is called a thallus.

Q.18. What type of photosynthetic pigments present in algae?

Ans: In addition to green chlorophyll a, yellow and orange carotenoids,

which are photosynthetic pigments, are found in all algae; other algal phyla
possess a variety of other pigments (such as xanthophyll’s and
phycoerythrin) that are also important in photosynthesis.

Q.19. How algae are classified upto phyla?

Ans: Classification into phyla is largely based on their pigment composition

Q.20. How phylum Rhodophyta differs from other algae in life cycle?

Ans: Phylum Rhodophyta (red algae) have forms with flagellated motile cells
in at least one stage of their life cycle while the other all phyla show variation
in life cycle.
Q.21. What is the role of diatoms in ecosystem? (G 2009 2011)

Ans: Diatoms are the major producers in the aquatic (marine and
freshwater) ecosystems because of their extremely large numbers. Diatoms
are very important in aquatic food chains.

Q.22: How dinoflagellates are important groups ecologically?

Ans: Ecologically, dinoflagellates are one of the most important groups of

producers (second only to diatoms) in marine ecosystem. Dinoflagellates are
known to have occasional population explosions or blooms.

Q.23. What is kelp?

Ans: The largest brown algae, called the kelps are tough and leathery in
appearance. They possess leaflike blades, stemlike stripes, and rootlike
anchoring holdfast.

Q.24. Where brown algae inhabit?

Ans: Brown algae are common in cooler marine waters, especially along rock
coastlines in the intertidal zone.

Q.25. How red algae take part in building coral reef?

Ans: Red algae incorporate calcium carbonate in their cell walls from the
ocean and take part in building coral reefs along with coral animals.

Q26. What are red tides? (G 2010)

Ans: Dinoflagellates are known to have occasional population explosions or

blooms. These blooms frequently colour the water orange, red or brown and
are known as red tides.

Q.27. Why is it said that plants originate from green algae? (G 2012)
Ans: Green algae have pigments, energy reserve products, and cell walls
that are identical to plants. Green algae are photosynthetic, with chlorophyll
a, chlorophyll b, and carotenoids.

They store starch. Most green algae possess cell walls with cellulose.
Because of these and other similarities it is generally accepted that plants
arose from ancestral green algae.

Evidence from RNA: Evidence from RNA sequencing also indicates that
green algae and the plants form a monophyletic lineage.

Chlorella is an example of green algae

Chlorella is unicellular non-motile green algae. Its

habitat is fresh water ponds and ditches. It is easily
cultured and has been used as an experimental
organism is research on photosynthesis as well as
being investigated(‫ )اندازہ لگانا‬as an alternate source of
food.

Q28: What is the importance of algae?

Ans: importance of algae

1. Algae have great economic and environmental importance for us.

2. Some algae such as kelps are edible (‫ )کھانے کے قابل‬and may be used to
overcome shortage of food in the world.
3. Marine algae are also source of many useful(‫ )مفید‬substances like align,
agar, carrageenan, and antiseptics.
4. Algae are major producers of the aquatic ecosystem, thus they play a
basic role in food chains, providing food and oxygen to other
organisms.

Q.29.Why fungus like protests is not fungus?

Ans: Fungus-like protists are not fungi for several reasons. Many of these
protists have centrioles and produce cellulose as a major component of their
cell walls, whereas fungi lack centrioles and have cell walls of chitin.
Q.30. Where fungus like protists is found?
Ans: Streams over damp, decaying logs and leaf litter. It often forms a
network of channels that cover a large surface area.

Q.31. What do you know about the feeding of fungus like protists?
Ans: As it creeps, it ingests bacteria, yeasts, spores and decaying organic
matter.

Q.32.What are the model organisms of fungus like protists? And in

what fields they have been used to study?
Ans: The plasmodial slime mold physarum polycephalum is a model
organism that has been used to study many fundamental biological
processes, such as growth and differentiation, cytoplasmic streaming, and
the function of cytoskeleton.

Q.33. define sporangia?

Ans: Haploid spores formed by meiosis within stalked structures called

sporangia.

Q.34. What are swarm cells?

Ans: When conditions become favorable again, spores germinate into

biflagellated or amoeboid reproductive or swarm cells which unite to form
diploid zygote.
Q.35. Explain that plasmodial slime mold is a model organism. (L
2005, S 2005)

Ans: Plasmodial slime mold physarum polycephalum is a model organism

that has been used to study many fundamental biological processes, such as
growth and differentiation, cytoplasmic streaming, and the function of
cytoskeleton.

Q.36How many people starved to death due to potato famine of the

19th century?

Ans: Potatoes were the staple of Irish peasants, diet, many people (250,000 to more than 1
million) starved to death.

Q.37: Why Phytophthora infestans was famous for? (G 2009)

Ans: Phytophthora infestans, which have played infamous roles in human history. Phytophthora
infestans was the cause of Irish potato famine (‫ )قحط‬of the 19th century. It causes a disease
commonly known as late blight of potatoes.
Because of several rainy, cool summers are Ireland in the 1840’s, the water mold multiplied
unchecked, causing potato tubers to rot in the fields.