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Euglena

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Euglenids
File:Euglena g.jpg
Scientific classification
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Euglena

Ehrenberg, 1830

Euglena is a common flagellate protist, typical of the euglenids, and commonly found in nutrient-rich freshwater, with a few marine species. The cells vary in length from around 20 to 300 μm, and are typically cylindrical, oval, or spindle-shaped with a single emergent flagellum. There are usually many bright green chloroplasts, although some species are colorless. If sunlight is not available, it can absorb nutrients from decayed organic material. Euglena is a mobile eukaryotic cell that moves using flagella. In addition, Euglena reproduces through a mitosis, a process in which one cell is divided into two.

The name comes from the Greek words Template:Polytonic (eu) and Template:Polytonic (glēnē), meaning good eyeball, referring to their light-sensitive eyespots used to direct themselves towards light. Over 1000 species of Euglena have been described. Marin et al. (2003) revised the genus so that it forms a monophyletic group, moving several species with rigid pellicles to the genus Lepocinclis and including several species without chloroplasts, formerly classified as Astasia and Khawkinea.

See also

References

  • Marin B, Palm A, Klingberg M, Melkonian M (2003). "Phylogeny and taxonomic revision of plastid-containing euglenophytes based on SSU rDNA sequence comparisons and synapomorphic signatures in the SSU rRNA secondary structure." Protist 154(1):99–145.
  • Miller K, Levine J, (2002). "Biology." Euglenophytes page 506

The simplest form is the single, self-sufficient cell, such as Euglena, dependent only on sunlight and carbon dioxide and minerals from the water.