Euglenophyta

Natural History

Phylum Euglenophyta

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Euglena are generally harmless to humans. They are indicators of water that is polluted from excess nitrogen that has come from waste. Some Japanese cosmetics use Euglena. Euglena Co. has developed an euglena extract called Rejuna, which can make hair and skin healthier.

Economic Importance

Euglenoids have the characteristics of both plants and animals. Euglenoids are autotrophic because they are photosynthetic, use chlorophylls a and b and carotenoids, to make food out of light energy. When light is absent, they become heterotrophic and eat green algae, amoeba, and paramecium. Euglenophyta live in freshwater. Euglena are abundant mainly in freshwater polluted by excess nutrients, such as in ponds near cow pastures. Also they can be found in pools not regularly cleaned.Euglena affects other organisms because it is eaten by baby fish, water fleas, mussels, and frogs and salamanders (tadpoles and larval stages).

Taxonomy

Natural History

Pictures

Kingdom ProtistPhylum EuglenophytaClass EuglenophyceaeOrder EuglenalesFamily EuglenidaGenus EuglenaSpecies Euglena Gracilis

Euglenophyta is commonly called Euglenoids, or by their genus name, Euglena.

Euglenophyta is a phylum of the Protist Kingdom, consisting of about 1000 species of flagelled unicellular algae called Euglenoids.

Euglenophyta is a subgroup, along with Kinetoplastids, of Euglenozoa. Euglenozoa are unicellular organisms with flagella, and reproduce asexually.

Fun facts

Several of the Euglenas have been classified as mixotrophs, which means they become autotrophs in sunlight and heterotrophs in the dark.Euglena uses a red eyespot to detect sunlight.