| a widely distributed group of photosynthetic prokaryotic organisms, resembling phototrophic bacteria, occurring in diverse habitats |
| a mass of protoplasm found in most cells, directing their growth, metabolism, reproduction, and functioning in the transmission of genic characters |
| flagellate | |
| —vb | |
| 1. | (tr) to whip; scourge; flog |
| —adj | |
| 2. | possessing one or more flagella |
| 3. | resembling a flagellum; whiplike |
| —n | |
| 4. | a flagellate organism, esp any protozoan of the phylum Zoomastigina |
| flagel'lation | |
| —n | |
flagellate flag·el·late (flāj'ə-lĭt, -lāt', flə-jěl'ĭt)
adj.
Flagellated.
Relating to or caused by a flagellate organism.
| flagellate (flāj'ə-lāt') Pronunciation Key
Any of various protozoans of the subphylum Mastigophora that move by means of one or more flagella. Some flagellates can make food by photosynthesis (such as euglenas and volvox), and are often classified as green algae by botanists. Others are symbiotic or parasitic (such as trypanosomes). Flagellates are related to amoebas. Also called mastigophoran. |
flagellate
(subphylum Mastigophora), any of a group of protozoans, mostly uninucleate organisms, that possess, at some time in the life cycle, one to many flagella for locomotion and sensation. (A flagellum is a hairlike structure capable of whiplike lashing movements that furnish locomotion.) Many flagellates have a thin, firm pellicle (outer covering) or a coating of a jellylike substance. Reproduction is either asexual (usually by longitudinal splitting) or sexual. The flagellates are divided taxonomically into two classes, those resembling plants, Phytomastigophorea (see phytoflagellate), and those resembling animals, Zoomastigophorea (see zooflagellate).
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