Question

Noctiluca is a
A. Sarcodine
B. Dinoflagellate
C. Zooflagellate
D. Ciliate

Answer 1

Noctiluca is a free-living marine dwelling species which lacks armored plates. It emits light due to phosphorescence the sea glows at night.

Complete answer:
Noctiluca is commonly known as Noctiluca scintillans. These are dinoflagellate which live freely and can be dwell in marine habitats. They are not photosynthetic in nature and they eat the microorganisms caused by phagocytosis. One of the most common food sources of Noctiluca is the diatom known as Thalassiosira. They also feed on bacteria,planktons and other dinoflagellates,fish eggs and diatoms.
The Noctiluca scintillans contain a flagellum that is hair-like which is useful in locomotion and is a distinct identity of phylum protozoa Mastigophora. These are single celled protozoans which can increase their inside content outside to take food.
Dinoflagellates are unicellular and they have two dissimilar flagella which arise from the ventral cell side. They belong to protest and have the largest Noctiluca.
Dinoflagellates have the ability to produce bioluminescence. Bioluminescence is the property by which an organism can produce light by itself.The dinoflagellates which can produce bioluminescence have an enzyme known as luciferase which are present in the cytoplasmic bodies known as scintillons.

Characteristics of Dinoflagellates:
-They are mostly marine and some are freshwater too.
Their colour varies from red,blue,green and yellow
-They are eukaryotic unicellular organisms
-They move like a spinning top with the help of flagella
-All membrane bound organelles are found in dinoflagellates
-They are responsible for causing red tide.

Note: Dinoflagellates bloom releases toxins which are considered to be extremely poisonous to human beings, whenever organisms are exposed to it, it can cause neurological disorders, fish poisoning etc.