Identifying Protozoal Species

Protozoa are single cells organisms that possess a nucleus. They have a cytoplasm, endoplasmic reticulum, mitochondria, golgi body and lysosomes. 

Image points to protozoal binary fission

Reproduction 

Asexual reproduction occurs via four main routes:

Binary Fission- Two daughter cells result from the parent cell dividing along its longitudinal axis. The nucleus divides first followed by the cytoplasm e.g. trypanosoma brucei.

Merozoites- little banana shaped organisms 

Schizogony- Schizogony (also called merogony) occurs when the nucleus divides several times prior to division of the cytoplasm. Dividing form= schizont, and daughter cells are called merozoites. The schizont ruptures releasing the merozoites e.g. Eimeria Tenella 

Schizont 

Budding- process in which one or more daughter forms are produced by the parent cell. Unequal fragmentation of nucleus and cytoplasm. Budded form separate and grow to full size e.g. Babesia Canis. 

Endodyogeny- Internal budding where two new progeny are formed within the parent cell e.g. Neospora tachyzoites. 

Sexual reproduction occurs via one main route

Syngamy- Two gametes fuse to form a zygote. The male gamete is known as the microgamete and the female the macrogamete. They are formed by gametogony e.g. Eimeria Tenella. 

Sporogony- Asexual reproduction which normally follows syngamy within a single cell. A sporont single cell undergoes multiple divisions into sporozoites which are contained in the subdivision of the oocyst- the sporoxyst. 

Blue arrow unsporulated, red arrow sporulated.