Slide 2:
General Overview Unikonts are a supergroup of eukaryotes that include animals, fungi, and some protists. There are two subgroups of unikonts – amoebozoans and opisthokants.
Opisthokants:
Are an extremely diverse group of eukaryotes that include animals, fungi, and several groups of protists Amoebozoans:
Slime molds
Plasmodial slime molds: form a mass called plasmodium which is not multicellular. It’s a single mass of cytoplasm that distributes nutrients and oxygen.
The plasmodium stops growing when the habitat dries up.
Cellular slime molds: mass of cells that remain separated by their individual plasma membranes.
Haploid organism
Have fruiting bodies that function in asexual reproduction.
Slide 3:
Habitat Plasmid slime molds reside in most soil, leaf mulch, and rotting logs where they consume their surroundings in order to grow in size.
Cellular slime molds can be found on forest floors or other damp places.
Gymnamoebas can be found in soil, freshwater, or marine environments.
Entomoebas are found in all vertebrates. They can infect humans and spread through things such as drinking water.
Slide 4:
Harmful or Beneficial? Almost all subgroups of unikonts are beneficial. They are essential decomposers that help break down dead organisms and keep the forest floors clean. Without these special unikonts the forests may become overrun with carcasses. However, one type of amoebas, the entamoebas, are extremely harmful. They infect vertebrates and cause amebic dysentery.
Slide 5:
Reproductive Cycle
Slide 6:
Reproductive Cycle (Cont.)
Slide 7:
Grouping Visuals
Slide 8:
Specific Examples Amanita muscaria Fungi Entamoeba histolytica Amanita muscaria Plasmodial Slime Mold Fungi Gymnamoeba Dictyostelium