Cryptomonad

High school (ages 12+)
Animals & Nature

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/cryptomonad

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. How big is Cryptomonad?Microscopic, typically 10-50 micrometers in length, with a flexible periplast
2. What is the scientific name?Cryptophyceae
3. Why do some cryptomonads glow?A few species can produce light through a chemical reaction called bioluminescence, which may help them hide from predators or communicate.
4. How do cryptomonads get their food?They mainly use photosynthesis to turn sunlight into energy, but many also eat tiny particles or bacteria to get extra food.

Periplast: A flexible, non-rigid outer covering of a cell, characteristic of cryptomonads.
Nucleomorph: A small, remnant nucleus found within the chloroplast of cryptomonads, a relic of endosymbiosis.
Oligotrophic: Describing a body of water that has low nutrient content, often leading to clear water and low algal productivity.