You are given an unknown organism to identify. It is unicellular and heterotrophic. It is motile, using many short extensions of the cytoplasm, each featuring the 9 + 2 filament pattern. It has well-developed organelles and three nuclei, one large and two small. This organism is most likely to be a member of which group?
A) foraminiferans
B) radiolarians
C) ciliates
D) kinetoplastids
E) slime molds

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The description of the organism matches that of ciliates, which are unicellular and heterotrophic, motile using cilia, and have well-developed organelles including three nuclei (one macronucleus and two micronuclei). Foraminiferans and radiolarians are also unicellular heterotrophic organisms, but they use pseudopodia for motility instead of cilia. Kinetoplastids are unicellular heterotrophs, but they have a flagellum rather than cilia and one large nucleus instead of three. Slime molds are multicellular and heterotrophic, and they do not have the 9 + 2 filament pattern.

You Are Given an Unknown Organism to Identify