Protozoa Literature Review

Literature Review:

Protozoa play an important role in microbial food web and recently fall in a class of three major diseases causing parasitic group. They became subject of interest in the last few years for their importance in food web chain and disease. Their presence can also indicate severe toxicity in water. They are abundant in fresh water and drinking this water can cause major health issues. Protozoan infections are a common matter in tropical countries and have severe impact on public health issues (Department of Dermatology at Federal University of the state of Rio de Janeiro).

The ecological role of protozoa is very important; they play an important role in the food chain. In aquatic ecosystems, protozoa act as dominant consumer of bacteria [Fenchel 1984, Sieburth 1984, Porter et al. 1985] whereas ciliated protozoa are considered as bacteriovore only in sediments, or in particular material [Caron et al. 1982, Sieburth 1984, Silver et al. 1984]. An important part of aquatic ecosystem is carbon and energy flow, the carbon and energy flow is often associated by “microbial loop” [Azam et al. 1983; Porter et al. 1985]. Microbial food webs can be complex and population density

Coleps is generally barrel shaped, 40-65 x 18-35 microns. It has distinct calcified armour plates, rarely cylindrical. It has 6 ring of plates called circumoral plates, anterior collateral and main plates, posterior main and collateral plates, and circumanal plates. It has a large spine in the collateral plate and three or four prominent spines at rear end. Mid-body is macronuclear globular. Posterior end has a contractile vacuole. Toxicist is called extruesome and is very difficult to recognize in cells (living) .Armour is brown. No presence of symbiotic green algae. Its habitat is ridge; water depth is 0.5m (max). Minimum elevation time is 21.0. Minimum latitude and longitude is 27.47 degrees and -82.7 degrees (Encyclopedia of