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

Protist, any member of a group of diverse eukaryotic, predominantly unicellular microscopic organisms. They may share certain morphological and physiological characteristics with animals or plants or both.

Aug 5, 2025 · Protists include anything from single-celled algae to parasitic protozoa, from slimy molds creeping across decaying logs to golden-brown diatoms floating in the ocean.

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.

: 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 …

Most protists are microscopic, unicellular organisms that are abundant in soil, freshwater, brackish, and marine environments. They are also common in the digestive tracts of animals and in the …

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 23, 2025 · Protists make up a large group of eukaryotic organisms on Earth that are not plants, animals or fungi. The kingdom of Protista includes unicellular and multicellular organisms that are …

Most protists are microscopic, unicellular organisms that are abundant in soil, freshwater, brackish, and marine environments. They are also common in the digestive tracts of animals and in the vascular …

Nov 7, 2025 · Protists vary greatly in organization. Some are single-celled; others are syncytial (coenocytic; essentially a mass of cytoplasm); and still others are multicellular. (While protists may …