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Discoplastis
''Discoplastis'' is a genus of euglenoid algae belonging to the family Phacaceae. The species of this genus are found in Europe, Northern America, Southeastern Asia and Australia. ''Discoplastis'' consists of solitary, free-living cells with one emergent flagellum. The cells have a flexible, spirally striated pellicle and are therefore capable of metaboly. When swimming, the cells are a variety of different but characteristic shapes (cylindrical, fusiform, hourglass-shaped, etc.). The posterior of the cell ends in a pointed, colorless cell. Within each cell there are numerous small, discoid chloroplast lacking pyrenoids. Cells have paramylon grains; the paramylon grains may be monomorphic (all small) or dimorphic (some large, some small). As with other euglenoids, the cell has a reddish eyespot (stigma). ''Discoplastis'' can be distinguished by to the combination of small, discoid parietal chloroplasts without pyrenoids (a synapomorphy for the family Phacaceae), and its fle ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Synapomorphy
In phylogenetics, an apomorphy (or derived trait) is a novel Phenotypic trait, character or character state that has evolution, evolved from its ancestral form (or Plesiomorphy and symplesiomorphy, plesiomorphy). A synapomorphy is an apomorphy shared by two or more taxon, taxa and is therefore Hypothesis#Scientific hypothesis, hypothesized to have evolved in their most recent common ancestor. ) In cladistics, synapomorphy implies Homology (biology), homology. Examples of apomorphy are the presence of Terrestrial locomotion#Posture, erect gait, fur, Evolution of mammalian auditory ossicles, the evolution of three middle ear bones, and mammary glands in mammals but not in other vertebrate animals such as amphibians or reptiles, which have retained their ancestral traits of a Terrestrial locomotion#Posture, sprawling gait and lack of fur. Thus, these derived traits are also synapomorphies of mammals in general as they are not shared by other vertebrate animals. Etymology The word ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Molecular Phylogenetic
Molecular phylogenetics () is the branch of phylogeny that analyzes genetic, hereditary molecular differences, predominantly in DNA sequences, to gain information on an organism's evolutionary relationships. From these analyses, it is possible to determine the processes by which diversity among species has been achieved. The result of a molecular phylogenetic analysis is expressed in a phylogenetic tree. Molecular phylogenetics is one aspect of molecular systematics, a broader term that also includes the use of molecular data in taxonomy and biogeography. Molecular phylogenetics and molecular evolution correlate. Molecular evolution is the process of selective changes (mutations) at a molecular level (genes, proteins, etc.) throughout various branches in the tree of life (evolution). Molecular phylogenetics makes inferences of the evolutionary relationships that arise due to molecular evolution and results in the construction of a phylogenetic tree. History The theoretical fra ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Euglenoid
Euglenids or euglenoids are one of the best-known groups of eukaryotic flagellates: single-celled organisms with flagella, or whip-like tails. They are classified in the phylum Euglenophyta, class Euglenida or Euglenoidea. Euglenids are commonly found in fresh water, especially when it is rich in organic materials, but they have a few marine and endosymbiotic members. Many euglenids feed by phagocytosis, or strictly by diffusion. A monophyletic subgroup known as Euglenophyceae have chloroplasts and produce their own food through photosynthesis. This group contains the carbohydrate paramylon. Euglenids split from other Euglenozoa (a larger group of flagellates) more than a billion years ago. The plastids (membranous organelles) in all extant photosynthetic species result from secondary endosymbiosis between a euglenid and a green alga. Structure Euglenoids are distinguished mainly by the presence of a type of cell covering called a pellicle. Within its taxon, the pellicle is ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Algae
Algae ( , ; : alga ) is an informal term for any organisms of a large and diverse group of photosynthesis, photosynthetic organisms that are not plants, and includes species from multiple distinct clades. Such organisms range from unicellular microalgae, such as cyanobacteria, ''Chlorella'', and diatoms, to multicellular macroalgae such as kelp or brown algae which may grow up to in length. Most algae are aquatic organisms and lack many of the distinct cell and tissue types, such as stomata, xylem, and phloem that are found in embryophyte, land plants. The largest and most complex marine algae are called seaweeds. In contrast, the most complex freshwater forms are the Charophyta, a Division (taxonomy), division of green algae which includes, for example, ''Spirogyra'' and stoneworts. Algae that are carried passively by water are plankton, specifically phytoplankton. Algae constitute a Polyphyly, polyphyletic group because they do not include a common ancestor, and although Eu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Paramylon
Paramylon is a carbohydrate similar to starch. The chloroplasts found in ''Euglena'' contain chlorophyll which aids in the synthesis of carbohydrates to be stored as starch granules and paramylon. Overview Paramylon is made in the pyrenoids of ''Euglena''. The euglenoids have chlorophylls a and b and they store their photosynthate in an unusual form called paramylon starch, a β-1,3 polymer of glucose. The paramylon is stored in rod like bodies throughout the cytoplasm, called paramylon bodies, which are often visible as colorless or white particles in light microscopy. Their shape is often characteristic of the ''Euglena'' species that produces them. Paramylon is also reportedly made in granuales by Pavlovophyceae haptophytes. Paramylon was named and first described in detail by Johann Gottlieb Johann Gottlieb (February 15, 1815 – March 4, 1875) was an Austrian chemist who first synthesized Propionic acid. He is also known for describing and naming Paramylon. Biog ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
