Question

What are the major mechanisms of locomotion found in Protista? Name the structures which help in locomotion in protists.

Answer 1

Hint: Protists are eukaryotic, unicellular and microscopic organisms. They are classified on the basis of presence or absence of true nucleus, complexity of the genetic material as well as the mode of locomotion. Locomotion is an important feature of the living organism and takes place for several reasons.

Complete answer:
The protists are unicellular organisms. They are microscopic organisms with different modes of locomotion. They are motile organisms and locomotion helps them in survival through sensing their environment, feeding and other features.

In Protists, the important mechanism of locomotion is through the use of different structures such as pseudopodia, flagella, cilia, wriggling and locomotion through mucilage propulsion. The different major types of mechanism of locomotion mechanism are:
a) Pseudopodia locomotion- This type of locomotion is represented by slow creeping movement. It is performed with the help of protoplasmic outgrowth known as the pseudopodia.

b) Flagellar locomotion – Flagella are whip like structures which arise from the cells of the body. The flagella move independently and cause movement of the organism such as dinoflagellates.

c) Ciliary locomotion- Cilia are hairlike projections and cover all the body surface. They work coordinately by beating movements and helps the protists to move.

d) Wriggling locomotion- This type of movement occurs due to the contraction and expansion of the body in a wave like fashion. This wave-like movement helps the body forward, backwards or sideways. It is a slow worm-like movement.

e) Mucilage propulsion- The movement occurs in the protists that do not have any types of locomotory organelles. They secrete mucilage that helps them to slip over and glide. The animal moves in the direction opposite to the secretion of mucilage.

Therefore, the important locomotory organelles in protists are flagella, cilia and pseudopodia. Flagella is a single, slender long structure while cilia are numerous in number. Cilia helped in locomotion by the synchronized beating movements. Pseudopodia are cytoplasmic extensions of the body. In protists, organisms such as diatoms move by mucilage propulsion.

Note: Protists are single celled organisms that move through either by locomotory organelles or by secretions. The locomotory organelles is an important characteristic of the protists. The important types of locomotory organelles are flagella, cilia, pseudopodia, or through body contraction and mucilage propulsion.