Phylum Protozoa

Ø  Study of Protozoa – Protozoology.

Ø  Protozoa was first studied by – Leeuvenhock.

Ø  Term Protozoa was coined by Goldfuss.

Ø  In the Whittaker’s Five Kingdom system of classification the protozoans are kept in kingdom Protista.

Ø  Protozoans are microscopic, unicellular animalcules without tissues and organs.

Ø  Only sub-cellular Physiological division of labour is found which is performed by the organelles.

Ø  Protozoans are simplest and most primitive organisms, with Protoplasmic grade of organization.

Ø  On the basic of locomotory organelles, phylum protozoa is divided into four groups:-

Ø  Mastigophora or Flagellata -  Locomotor organelles Flagella. Example – Euglena, Noctiluca, Ceratium, Giardia, Trichomonas, Trypanosoma, Leishmania etc.

Ø  Sarcodina- Locomotion by Pseudopodia. Example – Amoeba, Entamoeba etc.

Ø  Ciliata - Locomotion by Cilia. Example- Paramecium, Balantidium, Stentor, Vorticella etc.

Ø  Sporozoa – Locomotory organelles absent Example – Monocystis, Gregarina, Plasmodium etc.