Opisthokonta
BSC 2011L
Overview
• Opisthokonta
• Fungi
• Intro to Metazoa (animals)
• iNaturalist
• Citizen Science and Ecology
Opisthokonta
• The Opisthokonta is a clade of organisms which falls
under the Supergroup Unikonta.
• The Opisthonkonta is monophyletic group
• Animals, Fungi, nucleariids and some protists such as
choanoflagellates
• Opistho = Rearward -Kont = pole
• References the rearward facing flagellum seen in this group
• Many organisms in this group may have lost the flagellum during
evolution
Fungi
• Absorptive heterotrophs
• Obtain energy from organic carbon through absorption
• Fruiting body
• Reproductive structure
• Produce spores
• Fungal body
• Mostly hidden underground or inside host
• Consists of network of threads called hyphae
• Complete feeding network of hyphae network called mycelium
Fungi- videos page in the lab manual-Killer Cordyceps
Fungi- videos page in the lab manual
• How do fungi grow and reproduce?
• Note: Ignore the video title. Fungi are not plants.
• Noose Fungus hunting nematodes
Fungi are classified by the sexual reproductive structures they form.
• Mucoromycota (Formerly Zygomycota)
• Reproductive structure: Zygosporangia → zygotes
• Example in class:
• Rhizopus stolonifera (bread molds)
• Ascomycota
• Reproductive structure: Asci → ascospores
• Examples in class:
• Saccharomyces cervisiae (yeast used for baking and alcohol)
• Peziza sp.
• Sordaria fimicola
• Basidiomyocota
• Reproductive structure: Basidia → basidispores
• Examples in class:
• Mushrooms
• Coprinus sp.
• Bracket/shelf fungus
Rhizopus sp. sexual and asexual structures
Ascomycota Peziza sp. ascocarps and ascospores
Peziza Fungus
Peziza Fungus – stained cross section
Cross section zoomed in on ascospores
Basidomycota: Coprinus sp. Basidiocarps and basidiospores
Coprinus mushroom
Coprinus cross section of cap and stalk
Coprinus zoomed in with basidospores
Symbiotic Fungi
• Mycorrhizae – symbiotic relationship between a fungus and a plant.
• The plant give the fungus carbohydrates
• The fungus helps increase mineral and water absorption for the plant.
• About 90% of land plants have mycorrhizal fungi.
Symbiotic Fungi: Lichens
• Lichens: symbiotic relationship between multiple fungi, cyanobacteria or
green algae.
Fungal layer
• The cortex and medulla layers are made of fungus.
• A layer of cyanobacteria or algae is encased by the fungal layers.
• Lichens are not moss!
Fungal layer
• Lichens are found on every continent and can survive extreme conditions.
Lichens are classified by the shape they form.
• The three most common forms are:
• Crustose lichens are flat and adhere tightly to the surface of rocks or tree bark.
• Foliose lichens are more leaf-like, and their edges generally curl away from the substrate.
They are typically found growing on the trunks or branches of trees.
• Fruticose lichens have a more 3-dimensional, shrubby growth.
Opisthokonta
• Choanoflagellates are the closest living eukaryotic
relative of animals.
• They have a collar of microvilli cells which resemble the collar
cells (choanocytes) found in sponges, cnidarians, flatworms,
rotifers and echinoderms.
• These cells are not found in plants or fungi but are found in
other animals.
•Choanoflagellates contain a central flagellum which is
surrounded by collar of microvilli.
• These cells help with moving water for filter feeding.
Choanoflagellate cell morphology. © Stephen Fairclough
Introduction to Metazoa
• Metazoa = Kingdom Anamalia
• Eumetazoa = true tissues
• Parazoa = no true tissues
• For this lab, we will be observing:
• Parazoa - Porifera – Sponges
• Eumetazoa – cnidarians and ctenophores
• We will view the rest of the Eumetazoa in
future labs.
Sponges
• Phylum Porifera
• Sponges
• Assymetrical and lack true tissues
• Have some specialized cells
• Sponge videos
• Filter Feeding: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTZ211cIjX8
• Reproduction: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVavqt4Sbyo
Sponge Feeding
 Choanocytes in the body wall to draw water
through the Ostia.
 Food particles are trapped microvilli collars and
picked up by Amoebocytes.
 Amoebocytes digest food and deliver nutrients
to sponge.
 Water exits though the Osculum
Cnidarians and Ctenophora (formerly Radiata)
• Two germ layers (Ectoderm and Endoderm)
• Between the two layers is mesoglea
Cnidarians
Ctenophorans
• Biradial
Symmetry
• No nematocysts
• No life stage
metamorphosis
• Radial Symmetry
• Nematocysts (stinging cells)
• Either a polyp or medusa life stage.
• Some go through both forms at different life stages.
• Hydra
Jellyfish
Box jellies
Coral
Sea Anemones
Comb jellies
Cnidarians in the lab
• Clade Hydrozoa
• Hydra, Obelia and Physalia sp.
• Slides and preserved
• Clade Anthozoa
• Sea anemones and corals
• Preserved
• Clade Scyphozoa
• Preserved Cassiopeia sp.
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5775kbzGCY
iNaturalist
Observations and Descriptions
You should have photos from these five required groups:
• 1 seedless plant
• Vascular or non-vascular
• Mosses, bryophytes, ferns
• 1 seed plant
• Plants with cones, flowers and seeds
• 1 fungi or lichen
• 1 protostome
• Insects and other invertebrates
• 1 deuterostome
• Fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals
Photos
• Compare your photos with your lab partners.
• Are all of your observed organisms wild?
• Do you have multiple photos of each organism?
• Are your five organisms representative of their groups?
• For example, if you have Spanish moss? Which category should it be in?
• You can double check your observation taxonomy on iNaturalist
• What are some basic characteristics that let you know your organism belongs to one of
the five assigned groups?
• If you are unsure about any of your observations, check with your instructor.
The big picture
• That organisms you observed are not an isolated entities but rather members
of their local, natural communities.
• The study of how organisms interact with each other and with their
environment is known as Ecology.
• For the upcoming iNaturalist Ecology Assignment, we want you to
understand how the organisms you observed play a larger role in their
environment.
• For the Citizen Science Assignment, we want you to think about the strengths
and weaknesses of using iNaturalist to track these organisms.
Where do they live? Habitat vs Range
• The habitat is the environment where the
organism is found. The habitat contains
everything the organism needs to survive.
• Example: American Alligators are found in
freshwater swamps, rivers and lakes. They
can tolerate brackish and saltwater
environments for limited amounts of time.
• The range is the geographic distribution where
the organism can be found.
• Example: American Alligators are found
throughout the Southern United States. They
are found as far West as Texas and as far East as
North Carolina.
Classifying species by their native status
• Species are native to an area if they are
there due to evolution or natural causes
and not due to human introduction.
• Example: American alligators are native
to Florida but can be found throughout
the Southern United States.
• Species are endemic when they are only
found in a single geographic area.
• Example: Florida Scrub Jays can only be
found in Central FL and nowhere else in
the world.
Photo credit: allabout birds.org
Classifying species by their native status
• Non-native species originated in one
environment and were brought to a new
environment by humans.
• Example: Peacocks can be found
throughout Florida but are native to India
and SE Asia.
• Invasive species are non-native species
that outcompete local species and harm the
environment where it was introduced.
• Example: Burmese Pythons are native to
Asia have devastated the FL Everglades
Ecosystem.
https://www.tampabay.com/news/humaninterest/neighborhoods-peafowlpopulation-a-charm-to-some-nuisance-to-others/2272273/
https://www.cbs58.com/news/men-catch-15-foot-long-144-pound-python-in-the-floridaeverglades
Classifying species by their native status
• The range for an organism includes both its native range and areas it has where it has
been introduced via anthropogenic means (human-introduced).
• Range (native + non-native)
• Native Range
• Non-native Range
https://www.oiseaux.net/maps/indian.peafowl.html
Lab Manual questions
1. Research an example of a species that is endemic to Florida. Is that species
considered endangered? What major threats does it face?
2. What is the difference between a non-native and invasive species?
Ecological Services
• Species can be described in the way they
interact with other species and with the
environment.
• Species may interact with each other through
different forms of symbiosis.
• Mutualism: both species benefit from the
interaction
• Commensalism: one species benefits and the
other is not affected by the interaction
• Parasitism: one species benefits but the other
is harmed by the interaction.
Commensalism Example: Oysters grow on the
roots of Red Mangroves. The oyster benefits and
the mangrove is neither helped nor harmed by
the interaction.
Ecological Services
• Species provide ecological services to their
environments.
• Species may filter water, cycle nutrients,
create habitat for other species and keep
other species from growing out of control.
• Keystone Species provide significant
ecological services and are critical to
maintaining the health of their ecosystem.
If a keystone species goes extinct, the
environment would be irrevocably
damaged.
https://www.tfhmagazine.com/articles/saltwater/mangroves-in-the-wild-and-in-the-homeaquarium-full-article
Example: Mangroves are a keystone species. They prevent
coastline erosion, provide habitat for oysters and fish,
provide nesting sites for coastal birds, improve water
quality and shelter island habitats from storm surge.
Lab manual questions
• Can any organism be a keystone species? Why or why not?
• Give an example of organisms that form the following relationships:
• Mutualistic Relationship:
• Commenstalistic Relationship:
• Parasitic Relationship:
iNaturalist is a citizen science platform
• Citizen science projects are a collaboration between professional scientists
and the general public. These projects can cover a range of topics ranging
from biology to astronomy.
• In general, citizen science projects have the following in common:
• Anyone can participate
• Participants use the same protocol/guidelines when collecting data
• Scientists and the public have access to the data and use it to generate conclusions.
https://scistarter.org/citizen-science
iNaturalist as tool for tracking organisms
• iNaturalist is an amazing citizen science platform where people from around
the world can share observations of wild organisms.
• The observations you submitted contribute to our broader understanding of
global biodiversity.
• Is iNaturalist a good tool for tracking the abundance of organisms?
• What factors might contribute to an organism being observed and posted on
iNaturalist?
Tracking organisms on iNaturalist
• Certain traits can make an organism be more or less likely to be observed by
humans.
• The relative abundance of that organism.
• The likeliness that the organism will be in an area frequented by humans.
• The shape, size, color and behavior of the organism.
• Whether or not someone finds the organism “interesting” enough to post an
observation of it.
Tracking organisms on iNaturalist
• These Florida organisms are commonly observed on iNaturalist.
• What traits make them more likely to be observed?
• What traits might make them less likely to be observed?
High abundance doesn’t always equal a high number of iNaturalist observations.
• Bull Sharks are the 4th most common shark in Florida yet only 40 individuals
have been observed in Florida on iNaturalist.
• Bull sharks are large, abundant and frequent shallow waters where people
swim. Many people would find them interesting so why aren’t they observed
more frequently on iNaturalist?
Photo by Carlos Grillo
Why are there not many Bull Shark observations in Florida?
• Habitat: Bull sharks live in the water which limits
the number of people who photograph them. The
sharks are usually only photographed by divers or
when they have been caught by fisherman or
researchers. Only a small percentage of those
fisherman and divers may be using iNaturalist.
• Behavior: Bull Sharks are fast swimmers which
makes them more difficult to photograph. Bull
Sharks are responsible for many shark attacks and
people may be less likely to stay in the water with
one to photograph it.
Bull shark being tagged and photographed
for a Mote Marine Study. Photo by Josh
Olive on iNaturalist.
The shape, size and color of an organism can make them difficult to observe.
• Can you find the bobcat kitten in this picture?
Camouflage Kitty
The shape, size and color of an organism can make them difficult to observe.
• Can you find the venomous Copperhead snake in this picture?
The shape, size and color of an organism can make them difficult to observe.
• Can you find the venomous Copperhead snake in this picture?
iNaturalist as tool for tracking organisms
• While iNaturalist may have limitations
for tracking organismal abundance, it is
excellent for tracking other biodiversity
data.
• The collection of observations can be
used to determine the habitat and range
of many species.
• The observations can demonstrate
migration patterns and changes in
species abundance throughout a given
time period.
Example: The observation map on iNaturalist for the
American Alligator clearly shows its range
throughout the Southern US.
Upcoming Schedule
• Lophotrochozoa Lab
• Due by the start of class:
• Lopho comp check