Euglenophyta - the early protists
Euglenophyta = Euglenozoa: distinction between “plant” and “animal” impossible; ? of genera possess chloroplasts and are photoautotrophic; assumed haploid
Change of nutrition: phototrophic species can turn heterotrophic in darkness; chloroplasts are reduced. Upon re-illumination, they become green again.
Sexual reproduction: unknown
Occurrence: fresh and marine waters
Kinetoplastids: parasitic forms, e.g. Trypanosoma (African sleeping sickness); transferred by tse-tse fly; high genetic variation: 1000-2000 antigen (cell surface) genes, only one expressed