INVERTEBRATE ZOOLOGY - H. I. Shcherbak - 2008

PROTISTS - PROTISTA

PROTOZOA

ALVEOLATES

PHYLUM DINOFLAGELLATES (DINOPHYTA)

Autotrophic and heterotrophic Protozoans are widespread in freshwater and marine plankton. About 2,000 species belonging to a single Class are known to date.

Dinoflagellates are characterized by a unique pellicle Structure: beneath the Plasmalemma lies a layer of flattened vesicles—alveoles—that fit tightly against one another and are filled with either granular contents (in some species) or cellulosic plates (in others). In the former, the pellicle is elastic and the Cells can slightly alter their shape; in the latter, the outer covering is rigid and the cells maintain a fixed shape. This type of covering is referred to as a theca.



Last update: 13/08/2026

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