The key difference between foraminiferans and actinopods is that foraminiferans are protozoans that belong to the phylum Retaria, while actinopods are protozoans that belong to the phylum Actinopoda.
Foaminiferans and actinopods are two different types of protozoan classes that belong to different protozoan phyla. Protozoans are a group of single-celled eukaryotes that are either free-living or parasitic and feed on organic matter like microorganisms or organic tissues and debris. Protozoans are often regarded as one-celled animals. This is because they often possess animal-like behaviours such as motility and predation and lack cell walls.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What are Foraminiferans
3. What are Actinopods
4. Similarities – Foraminiferans and Actinopods
5. Foraminiferans vs Actinopods in Tabular Form
6. Summary – Foraminiferans vs Actinopods
What are Foraminiferans?
Foraminiferans are protozoans that belong to the phylum Retaria. They are single-celled organisms characterized by a streaming granular ectoplasm. This granular ectoplasm is used for catching food and other uses. They also have an external, which is known as “test.” The external shell containing chitin is the most primitive type. This shell can have either one or multiple chambers. Therefore, some Foaminiferans are quite elaborate in structure. These external shells are also made up of calcium carbonate or agglutinated sediment particles.
Most foraminiferans are marine. They live on or within the seafloor sediments. Some are free floating. Others live in fresh water, brackish conditions, or non-aquatic environments such as soil. Foraminiferans can be distinguished by using molecular methods such as the analysis of small subunit ribosomal DNA.
Figure 01: Foraminiferan
Approximately 50000 species of foraminiferans have already been identified. Some species are living, while some have already become fossils. They are normally 1 mm in size, but there can be large species around 20 cm in size. Foraminiferans have multiple rounds of asexual reproduction, together with sexual reproduction. Furthermore, foraminiferans have many uses in petroleum exploration in the oil industry. In addition, foraminiferans can also be used in archaeology in the provenancing of some stone raw materials.
What are Actinopods?
Actinopods are protozoans that belong to the phylum Actinopoda. Any protozoans of phylum Actinopoda are called actinopods. They are mostly marine organisms and mostly free-floating. But some members can also be found in freshwater as well. They have a calcareous or siliceous shell made of silica. Moreover, their bodies are covered with radiating spicules of cytoplasm and axopods. As a eukaryotic species, they have organelles like the nucleus, mitochondria, Golgi bodies, and cytoplasm. Some of them also show skeletal formation.
Figure 02: Actinopod
Actinopods also possess anastomosing pseudopodia or stiffened pseudopodia. The size of actinopods varies from 50 µm to 2 mm in diameter. Actinopods have to feed on organisms like bacteria, microalgae, and other protozoans. Furthermore, actinopods often show asexual reproduction modes such as binary fission, multiple fission, budding, and formation of flagellated spores. However, some rarely show sexual reproduction modes as well.
What are the Similarities Between Foraminiferans and Actinopods?
- Foraminiferans and actinopods are two different types of protozoan classes that belong to different protozoan phyla.
- Both are eukaryotic in nature.
- Both classes have single-celled members.
- The members of both classes can be found in the marine environment as well as fresh water.
- The members of both classes have external shells.
- Additionally, the members of both classes have nuclei, mitochondria, Golgi bodies, etc.
What is the Difference Between Foraminiferans and Actinopods?
Foraminiferans are protozoans that belong to the phylum Retaria, while actinopods are protozoans that belong to the phylum Actinopoda. Thus, this is the key difference between foraminiferans and actinopods. Furthermore, the size of foraminiferans varies from 1mm to 20 cm in diameter, while the size of actinopods varies from 50 µm to 2 mm in diameter.
The below infographic presents the differences between foraminiferans and actinopods in tabular form for side-by-side comparison.
Summary – Foraminiferans vs Actinopods
Foraminiferans and actinopods are two different types of protozoan classes belonging to different protozoan phyla. Both are eukaryotic in nature. Members of these classes can be found in marine environments as well as in freshwater. Foraminiferans are protozoans that belong to the phylum Retaria, while actinopods are protozoans that belong to the phylum Actinopoda. So, this is the key difference between foraminiferans and actinopods.
Reference:
1. “Foram Facts — ANINTRODUCTION to Foraminifera.” LEARNING FROM
THE FOSSIL RECORD. UCMP.
2. “Class Actinopoda – Definition, Examples,Characteristics/Classification.” MicroscopeMaster.
Image Courtesy:
1. “Foraminifera – Rotaliida – Planorbulinacea – Planulinidae – Planulina Limbata” By Louis-F. Stahl (CC BY-SA 3.0 de) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Actinopoda (Optical microscope)” By Altadil – Own work (CC0) via Commons Wikimedia