Article
Article
Protist
Article By:
Russell-Hunter, W. D. Department of Biology, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York.
Last reviewed:September 2021
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1036/1097-8542.550900
A member of an informal assemblage of eukaryotic organisms that are not plant, fungus, or animal. All eukaryote organisms (that is, organisms whose cells contain a cell nucleus), excluding those that are animal, plant, or fungus, are informally called protists. Most protists are unicellular (see illustration). In former classifications, the taxonomic kingdom Protista comprised all single-celled forms of living organisms. However, Protista is no longer considered to be a valid taxonomic category. Organisms that are commonly referred to as protists include amebas, algae, slime molds, water molds, and protozoa. See also: Algae; Ameba; Biological classification; Cell (biology); Cell nucleus; Eukaryota; Protozoa; Slime mold
The content above is only an excerpt.
for your institution. Subscribe
To learn more about subscribing to AccessScience, or to request a no-risk trial of this award-winning scientific reference for your institution, fill in your information and a member of our Sales Team will contact you as soon as possible.
to your librarian. Recommend
Let your librarian know about the award-winning gateway to the most trustworthy and accurate scientific information.
About AccessScience
AccessScience provides the most accurate and trustworthy scientific information available.
Recognized as an award-winning gateway to scientific knowledge, AccessScience is an amazing online resource that contains high-quality reference material written specifically for students. Contributors include more than 10,000 highly qualified scientists and 46 Nobel Prize winners.
MORE THAN 8700 articles covering all major scientific disciplines and encompassing the McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Science & Technology and McGraw-Hill Yearbook of Science & Technology
115,000-PLUS definitions from the McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms
3000 biographies of notable scientific figures
MORE THAN 19,000 downloadable images and animations illustrating key topics
ENGAGING VIDEOS highlighting the life and work of award-winning scientists
SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER STUDY and additional readings to guide students to deeper understanding and research
LINKS TO CITABLE LITERATURE help students expand their knowledge using primary sources of information