''Eutreptia'' is a genus of

Euglenozoa Euglenozoa are a large group of flagellate Discoba. They include a variety of common free-living species, as well as a few important parasites, some of which infect humans. Euglenozoa are represented by four major groups, ''i.e.,'' Kinetoplastea, ...

belonging to the family

Eutreptiaceae Eutreptiaceae ( ICN) or Eutreptiidae (ICZN) is a family of algae in the class Euglenophyceae. It is the only family within the monotypic order Eutreptiales (ICN) or Eutreptiida (ICZN). It contains predominantly marine single-celled flagellates wi ...

(Eutreptiidae). The genus was first described by

Maximilian Perty Josef Anton Maximilian Perty (17 September 1804, Ornbau – 8 August 1884, Bern) was a German naturalist and entomologist. He was a professor of zoology and comparative anatomy at the University of Bern. It has a

cosmopolitan distribution In biogeography, a cosmopolitan distribution is the range of a taxon that extends across most or all of the surface of the Earth, in appropriate habitats; most cosmopolitan species are known to be highly adaptable to a range of climatic and en ...

, and is most commonly found in marine or brackish waters; however, some species have also been reported from

freshwater Fresh water or freshwater is any naturally occurring liquid or frozen water containing low concentrations of dissolved salts and other total dissolved solids. The term excludes seawater and brackish water, but it does include non-salty mi ...

Description

''Eutreptia'' consists of single, free-swimming cells that are spindle-shaped with pronounced euglenoid movement (metaboly). Two heterodynamic

flagella A flagellum (; : flagella) (Latin for 'whip' or 'scourge') is a hair-like appendage that protrudes from certain plant and animal sperm cells, from fungal spores ( zoospores), and from a wide range of microorganisms to provide motility. Many pr ...

are present, both highly active while swimming, with a reddish eyespot near the base. ''Eutreptia'' is photosynthetic with green

chloroplast A chloroplast () is a type of membrane-bound organelle, organelle known as a plastid that conducts photosynthesis mostly in plant cell, plant and algae, algal cells. Chloroplasts have a high concentration of chlorophyll pigments which captur ...

s; there may be numerous discoid or ribbon-shaped chloroplasts, often radiating from central

pyrenoid Pyrenoids are sub-cellular phase-separated micro-compartments found in chloroplasts of many algae,Giordano, M., Beardall, J., & Raven, J. A. (2005). CO2 concentrating mechanisms in algae: mechanisms, environmental modulation, and evolution. ''An ...

s surrounded by grains of

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 ...

. The chloroplast structure is similar to that of ''

Euglena viridis ''Euglena viridis'' is a single-celled species of euglenoid, a type of microalgae. It is one of the oldest-known species of ''Euglena'', and was first seen by Antonie van Leeuwenhoek in 1764. It is found in freshwater habitats worldwide. ''Eugle ...

'', but in ''Eutreptia'' what appears to be a stellate chloroplast actually consists complex of ribbon-shaped chloroplasts each with a terminal pyrenoid. While swimming, it rotates along the longitudinal axis; sometimes the cells creep along a substrate (in mucus). Reproduction occurs through longitudinal cell division. It sometimes forms a palmelloid stage in which cells divide repeatedly.

Taxonomy

''Eutreptia'' is distinguished from the related genus ''

Eutreptiella ''Eutreptiella'' is a genus of Euglenozoa belonging to the family Eutreptiaceae (Eutreptiidae). The genus was first described by A. M. da Cunha in 1914. The genus has a cosmopolitan distribution. Description ''Eutreptiella'' consists of sing ...

'' in that the two flagella are of nearly equal length, while ''Eutreptia'' has flagella of markedly unequal lengths. Species are distinguished based on the size and shape of cells, length of flagella, and presence of pyrenoids. Species: * ''

Eutreptia globulifera ''Eutreptia'' is a genus of Euglenozoa belonging to the family Eutreptiaceae (Eutreptiidae). The genus was first described by Maximilian Perty in 1852. It has a cosmopolitan distribution, and is most commonly found in marine or brackish waters; ...

'' Goor * ''

Eutreptia lanowii ''Eutreptia'' is a genus of Euglenozoa belonging to the family Eutreptiaceae (Eutreptiidae). The genus was first described by Maximilian Perty in 1852. It has a cosmopolitan distribution, and is most commonly found in marine or brackish waters; ...

'' Steuer * ''

Eutreptia papillifera ''Eutreptia'' is a genus of Euglenozoa belonging to the family Eutreptiaceae (Eutreptiidae). The genus was first described by Maximilian Perty in 1852. It has a cosmopolitan distribution, and is most commonly found in marine or brackish waters; ...

'' Péterfi * ''

Eutreptia pascheri ''Eutreptia'' is a genus of Euglenozoa belonging to the family Eutreptiaceae (Eutreptiidae). The genus was first described by Maximilian Perty in 1852. It has a cosmopolitan distribution, and is most commonly found in marine or brackish waters; ...

'' Skvortsov * ''

Eutreptia pertyi ''Eutreptia'' is a genus of Euglenozoa belonging to the family Eutreptiaceae (Eutreptiidae). The genus was first described by Maximilian Perty in 1852. It has a cosmopolitan distribution, and is most commonly found in marine or brackish waters; ...

'' Pringsheim * ''

Eutreptia pyrenoidifera ''Eutreptia'' is a genus of Euglenozoa belonging to the family Eutreptiaceae (Eutreptiidae). The genus was first described by Maximilian Perty in 1852. It has a cosmopolitan distribution, and is most commonly found in marine or brackish waters; ...

'' Matvienko * ''

Eutreptia scotica ''Eutreptia'' is a genus of Euglenozoa belonging to the family Eutreptiaceae (Eutreptiidae). The genus was first described by Maximilian Perty in 1852. It has a cosmopolitan distribution, and is most commonly found in marine or brackish waters; ...

'' Butcher * ''

Eutreptia thiophila ''Eutreptia'' is a genus of Euglenozoa belonging to the family Eutreptiaceae (Eutreptiidae). The genus was first described by Maximilian Perty in 1852. It has a cosmopolitan distribution, and is most commonly found in marine or brackish waters; ...

'' Skuja * ''

Eutreptia viridis ''Eutreptia'' is a genus of Euglenozoa belonging to the family Eutreptiaceae (Eutreptiidae). The genus was species description, first described by Maximilian Perty in 1852. It has a cosmopolitan distribution, and is most commonly found in marine ...

'' Perty

References

Euglenozoa {{Alga-stub