Question

Statement 1: Euglena can be considered as a plant due to the presence of chlorophyll.
Statement 2: Euglena cannot be classified as on the basis of two kingdom systems of classification.
A) Both statements 1 and 2 are correct.
B) Statement 1 is correct but statement 2 is incorrect.
C) Statement 1 is incorrect but statement 2 is correct.
D) Both statements 1 and 2 are incorrect

Answer 1

Hint: Euglena is a single-celled microscopic alga that can either be heterotrophic or autotrophic in its origin.

Complete Answer:
- Euglena belongs to the genus single-celled flagellated eukaryotes belonging to a wide class of Euglenoidea comprising around 54 genera and 800 species.
- Most of these organisms show the presence of photosynthesizing chloroplasts within their cellular organelles. This makes them potent enough to feed on themselves just like the case with other autotrophs e.g. plants.
- Yet, there are certain Euglena species feeding on other plants such as the heterotrophs e.g. animals.
- As Euglena species widely displayed the characteristics of both the plants and animals, it was earlier difficult to classify them just on the basis of the two-kingdom classification.
- The chloroplasts in Euglena are all over surrounded by three membranes. In presence of sufficient sunlight, the Euglena feeds itself via the process of phototrophy by using the chlorophyll pigments a and b and produces sugars through the process of photosynthesis.

Thus, the correct option is A) Both the statements 1 and 2 are correct.

Note: Species of Euglena are common to both the freshwater and marine water habitats. They belong to protists.