Euglena Under the Microscope
Euglena (Whole Mount), Euglena
This slide shows many Euglena cells, single-celled organisms that can both photosynthesize and take in food. Euglena is a classic example of a protist that does not fit neatly into plant or animal groups.
This whole mount shows many Euglena, single-celled protists spread across the slide. Most cells are long and spindle-shaped, wide in the middle and narrow at the ends. Different cells took up different stains, so they look purple, red or blue-green. On a few cells, a thin thread called the flagellum trails from one end, and Euglena uses it to swim. Euglena is hard to sort into one group, since it can make food like a plant but also swims and takes in food like an animal.
What to look for
- Spindle-shaped cells: Long cells that are wide in the middle and taper toward the ends.
- Pellicle: A flexible outer covering that lets the cell bend and change shape.
- Chloroplasts: Small bodies inside the cell used for photosynthesis.
- Nucleus: A round structure near the middle of the cell.
- Flagellum: A long whip-like thread at the front end, often hard to see on prepared slides.
Questions and answers
What does Euglena look like under a microscope?
Euglena is a single cell shaped like a spindle, often around 50 micrometers long. In living cells you can see green chloroplasts, a red eyespot near the front, and a long flagellum it uses to swim.
Is Euglena a plant or an animal?
Euglena is a protist. It can make food by photosynthesis like a plant, but it can also take in food from its surroundings and swims with a flagellum, which are animal-like traits.
Compare it
- Category
- Microbiology
- Scan magnification
- 20x
- Stain
- Various
Viewing this slide in class
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