Question

Holophytic nutrition is found in ____ .
(a) Amoeba
(b) Giardia
(c) Entamoeba
(d) Euglena

Answer 1

Hint: Holophytic nutrition is carried out by halophytes, better known as autotrophs. Autotrophs are the type of organisms that do not rely on other organisms for their food and require the most basic materials for their nutrition.

Complete answer:
- Holophytic nutrition occurs in organisms that produce food without dependence on other organisms and from inorganic molecules. They are also known as autotrophs.
- Holophytic nutrition is found in Euglena which is single-celled eukaryotes. They contain chloroplasts to carry out photosynthesis, hence, they are holophytic.
- The organisms make their food from simple molecular substances such as sunlight, water, carbon dioxide, organic molecules, and other inorganic ions like sulphur, iron, etc.
- Halophytes are also known as autotrophs and primary producers.
- Examples include green plants, organisms that contain chloroplasts i.n. photosynthetic organisms like algae and cyanobacteria, and methanogens and chemotrophs.

Additional Information:
- Amoeba are eukaryotic microscopic species that are parasitic or heterotrophic in nature.
- Giardia is an anaerobic protozoan that is parasitic in nature and causes disease in human beings.
- Entamoeba is a form of the microscopic organism that lives in animals and is parasitic or commensal in nature.
- Halophytes use organic molecules as sources of carbon and may use light and inorganic compounds as a source of energy.
So, the correct answer is ‘Euglena’.

Note:
- Holozoic nutrition is the contrast to holophytic nutrition, where the organism derives its nutrition from other organisms by ingesting them entirely or their components or matter produced from their metabolic processes. Examples include amoeba and human beings.
- In saprozoic nutrition, the organisms release digestive enzymes, and the surrounding substances are broken down into smaller molecules and are absorbed directly.