Protists are a diverse group of eukaryotes that are primarily single-celled and microscopic and exhibit a wide variety of shapes and life strategies.

Nov 7, 2025 · Protist, any member of a group of diverse eukaryotic, predominantly unicellular microscopic organisms. They may share certain morphological and physiological characteristics with …

Eukaryotic organisms that did not fit the criteria for the kingdoms Animalia, Fungi, or Plantae historically were called protists and were classified into the kingdom Protista.

Aug 5, 2025 · The term “protist” might sound like a placeholder—and in many ways, it is. It’s not a name for a single group of closely related organisms, but rather a convenient bin for everything that doesn’t …

May 1, 2025 · Protists can acquire nutrition through photosynthesis, absorbing nutrients, or feeding on other organisms. Some protists move using flagella, cilia, or pseudopodia, while others do not move …

The first is a phylogeny-based definition; that protists are all eukaryotes that are not animals, fungi, or land plants (Embryophyta). The second concept includes various definitions based on biological …

Dec 1, 2025 · Protists are eukaryotes, which means their cells have a nucleus and other membrane-bound organelles. Most, but not all, protists are single-celled. Other than these features, they have …

Protist parasites include the causative agents of malaria, African sleeping sickness, and waterborne gastroenteritis in humans. Other protist pathogens prey on plants, effecting massive destruction of …

In the meantime, the term “protist” still is used informally to describe this tremendously diverse group of eukaryotes. Most protists are microscopic, unicellular organisms that are abundant in soil, …

: any of a kingdom of organisms that resemble plants or animals or both, are one-celled and sometimes colonial or less often many-celled, and that typically include the protozoans, most algae, and often …