What is the difference between protozoa and algae

All these phyla have some general characteristics in common. In addition, almost all are well-adapted to life in water. Furthermore, there is a large diversity among these members in terms of size and form. They include unicellular, filamentous, colonial, and thalloid forms. Protozoans are animal-like eukaryotes belonging to kingdom Protista. Unlike algae, they lack a cell wall and are heterotrophs. The organisms are always unicellular. One common example of a protozoan is Amoeba.

Amoeba is aquatic, free-living and omnivorous protozoan. Furthermore, the cytoplasm of protozoans has two distinct regions: an outer ectoplasm and an inner endoplasm. They are also uni-nucleated. The endoplasm contains fat droplets as food vacuoles, contractile vacuoles for osmotic regulation and various vacuoles or crystals containing excretory material. However, it does not have a definite shape. Protozoa and algae are two types of animals that belong to the kingdom Protista.

Both protozoa and algae are eukaryotic organisms. Therefore, they consist of a membrane-bound nucleus. Both types can be unicellular. But, algae can also be multicellular. The main difference between protozoa and algae is that protozoa are heterotrophic , animal-like organisms whereas algae are autotrophic , plant-like organisms.

This means protozoa ingest organic molecules by phagocytosis while algae produce their own food by photosynthesis. Protozoa refer to single-celled animals that belong to the kingdom Protista. Though most protozoa are free-living, some of them infect higher animals. Protozoa can obtain a variety of shapes due to the absence of a cell wall. The free-living vegetative form of protozoa is called the atropohozoite whereas the resting form is called a cyst. The cyst of the protozoa is analogous to the spore of bacteria.

Since protozoa are eukaryotic organisms, they contain a membrane-bound nucleus. Through the contractile vacuoles, excess water is removed from the cell. Food vacuoles are present in protozoa. Most aquatic food chains depend upon protozoa as their foundation. Chlorophyll is absent in protozoa. The cell wall is absent in protozoa. A cyst is the resting unit of protozoa. Some protozoa are capable of causing diseases in humans, such as malaria by plasmodium. By the process of phagocytosis , protozoa engulf food.

Algae and protozoa are two kinds of millions and billions of organisms, both belonging to the kingdom Protista. Algae are either multicellular or unicellular and are plant-like organisms. In comparison, protozoa are eukaryotic organisms having the animal characteristic. Thus, the main difference between algae and protozoa is the way they prepare and eat food, i.

Protozoa do not contain cell wall. Algae contains cell wall which is composed of cellulose. These are heterotrophs and cyst is the resting unit in protozoa. These are autotrophs and the spore is resting unit algae.