Kingdom Protista*

Kingdom Plantae

Kingdom Fungi

Kingdom Animalia

Cell Structure

-may be animal-like, plant-like, or fungus-like;
– some may have flagella constructed differently from the other
kingdoms;
– the cells may have specialized organelles for life processes, eg.
for osmoregulation (water balance);
– cell walls may have compositions that differ from the other
Kingdoms;

Major Mode of Nutrition

– may be autotrophic (photosynthetic) producers;
– may be heterotrophic consumers with internal digestion (in
vacuoles) or simple absorption;
– may have more than one mode depending on environment

Cell Number

– most are single-celled, but may be multicellular
– some are colonial aggregates of cells;

Motility

– may move by use of cilia or flagella
– may have cellular structure that hold air so that they can stay
near the surface of water for photosynthetic activity

Reproduction

– mitosis or binary fission
– conjugation (exchange of genetic information via micronuclei only
– NOT considered sexual reproduction) – eg. paramecium;
– may require a host to reproduce
– may produce spores and or gametes for sexual reproduction (eg.
algae)

Niche

– may be producers, consumers, or decomposers;
– may be beneficial or harmful;
– may be parasitic or pathogenic;
– usually found in aquatic environments (ponds, streams, lakes,
oceans);
– may be found in damp soil or r decomposing organic matter

Sample Organisms

Euglena
Paramecium
Algae (brown, red, green…)
Water mold
Amoeba