An aquatic microscopic eukaryote floats passively with plankton and has two overlapping silica-containing wall layers. W

Practice question

Question

An aquatic microscopic eukaryote floats passively with plankton and has two overlapping silica-containing wall layers. Which conclusion follows?

Options

Choose one · Correct answer highlighted

It is a diatom whose wall deposits may form diatomaceous earth. Correct It is a dinoflagellate that necessarily causes a red tide. It is a euglenoid with a protein-rich pellicle. It is a slime mould that forms a plasmodium.

Explanation

The organism is a diatom. Diatoms have two thin, overlapping wall layers embedded with silica. Their indestructible wall deposits accumulate over long periods and form diatomaceous earth.

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