[yoo-glee-nuh] 
| a genus of green freshwater protozoans having a reddish eyespot and a single flagellum, found esp. in stagnant waters. |
| eu·gle·na (yōō-glē'nə) n. Any of various minute single-celled freshwater organisms of the genus Euglena, characterized by the presence of chlorophyll, a reddish eyespot, and a single anterior flagellum. [New Latin : Greek eu-, eu- + Greek glēnē, eyeball.] |
euglena (y -glē'nə) Pronunciation Key
(click for larger image in new window) Any of various unicellular protist organisms of the genus Euglena that live in fresh water, have a cylindrical or sausage-like shape, and move by means of a flagellum. Euglenas contain chloroplasts and can produce their own food by photosynthesis. They can also absorb nutrients directly into the cell from the environment. Euglenas have no rigid covering or cell wall, such as the cellulose cell walls of green algae or plants, over the membrane enclosing the plasma of their cells. They also have a reddish, light-sensitive eyespot which helps them navigate in relation to light sources. In warm weather, euglenas multiply rapidly and form scum on the surfaces of bodies of water. |
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