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PLoS Genetics Issue Image | Vol. 2(12) December 2006

Jigsaw representation of eukaryote evolution

The jigsaw image of representatives of various lines of eukaryote evolution reflects the current lack of consensus as to how the major branches of eukaryotes fit together. The illustrations from upper left to bottom right are as follows: a single scale from the surface of Umbellosphaera; Amoeba, the large amoeboid organism used as an introduction to protists for many school children; Euglena, the iconic flagellate that is often used to challenge ideas of plants (Euglena has chloroplasts) and animals (Euglena moves); Stentor, one of the larger ciliates; Cacatua, the sulphur-crested cockatoo from Australia; Paulinella, a shelled amoeba that contains two cyanobacterial symbionts; Thalassionema, one of the more common diatoms; Jakoba, a colorless free-living flagellate; Massisteria, a marine amoeboflagellate with fine radiating pseudopodia; Deltotrichonympha, one of the large flagellates with numerous flagella that live in the guts of wood-eating termites; Pinus, a pine from the Eastern Sierras in California; Elphidium, one of the foraminifera, the so-called "shelled amoebae" (see Katz et al., e220).

Image Credit: Layout and design by David J. Patterson; all images by D. J. Patterson except Deltotrichonympha, which was taken by Guy Brugerolle.

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Jigsaw representation of eukaryote evolution

The jigsaw image of representatives of various lines of eukaryote evolution reflects the current lack of consensus as to how the major branches of eukaryotes fit together. The illustrations from upper left to bottom right are as follows: a single scale from the surface of Umbellosphaera; Amoeba, the large amoeboid organism used as an introduction to protists for many school children; Euglena, the iconic flagellate that is often used to challenge ideas of plants (Euglena has chloroplasts) and animals (Euglena moves); Stentor, one of the larger ciliates; Cacatua, the sulphur-crested cockatoo from Australia; Paulinella, a shelled amoeba that contains two cyanobacterial symbionts; Thalassionema, one of the more common diatoms; Jakoba, a colorless free-living flagellate; Massisteria, a marine amoeboflagellate with fine radiating pseudopodia; Deltotrichonympha, one of the large flagellates with numerous flagella that live in the guts of wood-eating termites; Pinus, a pine from the Eastern Sierras in California; Elphidium, one of the foraminifera, the so-called "shelled amoebae" (see Katz et al., e220).

Image Credit: Layout and design by David J. Patterson; all images by D. J. Patterson except Deltotrichonympha, which was taken by Guy Brugerolle.

https://doi.org/10.1371/image.pgen.v02.i12.g001