Euglenoids: Structure & Nutrition — NEET Biology
📚 Practice ConceptMajority of them are fresh water organisms found in stagnant water. Instead of a cell wall, they have a protein rich layer called pellicle which makes their body flexible. They have two flagella, a short and a long one. Though they are photosynthetic in the presence of sunlight, when deprived of sunlight they behave like heterotrophs by predating on other smaller organisms. Interestingly, the pigments of euglenoids are identical to those present in higher plants. Example: Euglena.
Which of the following statements correctly highlight the key differences between Euglenoids or Protists in general, and true plants (Kingdom Plantae)? S1: Euglenoids possess a flexible protein-rich pellicle instead of a rigid cell wall, whereas plant cells have a cell wall primarily made of cellulose. S2: While both Euglenoids and true plants are capable of photosynthesis, Euglenoids distinctively exhibit heterotrophic nutrition when deprived of sunlight, a feature generally absent in most plants. S3: The photosynthetic pigments in Euglenoids are structurally distinct from those found in higher plants, allowing for different light absorption capabilities. S4: All organisms under Kingdom Plantae are exclusively autotrophic, contrasting sharply with the diverse nutritional modes observed across Protista. S5: Kingdom Protista is characterized by unicellular eukaryotic organisms, fundamentally differing from Kingdom Plantae, which comprises multicellular eukaryotes.
View solution & NCERT explanation
Correct answer: A — S1, S2 and S5 only
This question focuses on distinguishing characteristics between Euglenoids (a protist) and general features of Kingdom Protista compared to Kingdom Plantae. S1: Correct. Euglenoids lack a cell wall and instead have a protein-rich pellicle, making them flexible. In contrast, plant cells have a rigid cell wall, mainly composed of cellulose. S2: Correct. Euglenoids are mixotrophic; they are photosynthetic in light but become heterotrophic predators in the absence of light. Most true plants are strictly autotrophic, though some (e.g., insectivorous plants, parasites) are partially heterotrophic, but not in the same 'predatory' sense as Euglenoids in the absence of light. S3: Incorrect. The pigments of euglenoids are identical to those present in higher plants, allowing them to utilize similar light spectra for photosynthesis. S4: Incorrect. While most plants are autotrophic, the NCERT text explicitly states, "A few members are partially heterotrophic such as the insectivorous plants or parasites." S5: Correct. Kingdom Protista consists of single-celled eukaryotes, whereas Kingdom Plantae includes multicellular eukaryotes. Therefore, statements S1, S2, and S5 correctly highlight the differences.
What does NCERT say about Majority them are fresh?
Has this concept appeared in NEET?
Which chapter is this from?
Through deep analysis of NEET and NTA, 88 of 90 questions from the NEET 2026 paper were matched straight from the MedicNEET Biology question bank.
88/90MedicNEET's Biology question bank is built from the same NCERT lines NTA picks repeatedly. Not random MCQs — questions crafted exactly like NTA crafts them.