protozoa
Sign in to saveright|thumb|upright=1.5|Clockwise from top left: Blepharisma japonicum, a [[ciliate; Giardia muris, a parasitic flagellate; Centropyxis aculeata, a testate (shelled) amoeba; Peridinium willei, a dinoflagellate; Chaos carolinense, a naked amoebozoan; Desmarella moniliformis, a choanoflagellate]]
AI overview
Protozoa are single-celled organisms that come in various forms, including ciliates, flagellates, amoebas, and dinoflagellates, as shown by the diverse examples of species like *Blepharisma japonicum* and *Giardia muris*. They matter because some, like the parasitic *Giardia muris*, can affect other organisms, while others play important roles in aquatic ecosystems and biological processes.
AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.
Article
19 sectionsContents
- History of classification
- Phylogenetic distribution
- Characteristics
- Reproduction
- Size
- Habitat
- Feeding
- Motility
- Walls, pellicles, scales, and skeletons
- Life cycle
- Aging
- Ecology
- Free-living
- Parasitism
- Commensalism
- Mutualism
- References
- Bibliography
- External links
right|thumb|upright=1.5|Clockwise from top left: Blepharisma japonicum, a [[ciliate; Giardia muris, a parasitic flagellate; Centropyxis aculeata, a testate (shelled) amoeba; Peridinium willei, a dinoflagellate; Chaos carolinense, a naked amoebozoan; Desmarella moniliformis, a choanoflagellate]]
Protozoa (: protozoan or protozoon; alternative plural: protozoans) are a polyphyletic group of single-celled eukaryotes, either free-living or parasitic, that feed on organic matter such as other microorganisms or organic debris. Historically, protozoans were regarded as "one-celled animals".