A diverse group of mostly single-celled eukaryotes such as amoebae, paramecia and algae.
Protists are not a single natural group: they include protozoa (Amoeba, Paramecium), algae and slime moulds. Many have cilia, flagella or pseudopodia for movement. Some cause disease.
Protists include photosynthetic, heterotrophic and mixotrophic forms. Some are parasitic. Their diversity reflects multiple lineages.
Key idea: 'protist' is a convenience term, not a clade.
A diverse group of mostly single-celled eukaryotes such as amoebae, paramecia and algae.
Protists is one of the 54 topics in Microbiology. It is rated Beginner, so it suits learners who are starting out in biology. Related topics in this area include Protozoan Parasites, Microorganisms, Bacteria.
Plasmodium causes malaria and is transmitted by Anopheles mosquitoes.
Protists is a Beginner topic, so no earlier topic is required. Other Beginner topics in Microbiology that pair well with it include Microorganisms, Bacteria, Archaea.
The closest topics to Protists are Protozoan Parasites, Microorganisms, Bacteria, Algae. Comparing them side by side is a good way to see how the ideas connect.
Read the summary and the in-depth section, then use the quick check on the interactive lesson for Protists. To practise the whole of Microbiology, use the Microbiology quiz.
Protists: A diverse group of mostly single-celled eukaryotes such as amoebae, paramecia and algae. Protozoan Parasites: Single-celled eukaryotes such as Plasmodium and Trypanosoma that cause malaria and sleeping sickness. Read both side by side and note what each one explains.
First, read the summary and write the definition in your own words. Second, read the in-depth section and note any example. Third, compare it with Protozoan Parasites and explain the difference aloud. Finally, take the Microbiology quiz and come back to this page for any question you miss.
Single-celled eukaryotes such as Plasmodium and Trypanosoma that cause malaria and sleeping sickness.
🦠 MicrobiologyLiving things too small to see without a microscope, including bacteria, archaea, protists, fungi and microscopic algae.
🦠 MicrobiologySingle-celled prokaryotes found everywhere, vital for nutrient cycling, digestion and some disease.
🦠 MicrobiologyPhotosynthetic protists and plant-like organisms that produce a large share of the world's oxygen.
🦠 Microbiology