Protists

Summary
Protists are the most diverse group of organisms. Most of them are microscopic. There are three main types animal-like, plant-like, and fungi-like. protists were traditionally sub divided into several groups based on there similarities to the higher kingdoms. the one celled animal- like [protozoa], The plant-like [protophyta] and the fungus-like [slime molds]. The animal-like o protozoans are decomposers, and symbiotic some are disease causing. there mostly single celled. motile protists that feed by phagocytosis though there are many exceptions they are usually 0.01-0.5 mm in size. witch is generally to small to be seen without magnification. protozoa are grouped by method of locomotion into flagellates with long flagella, amoeboids with transient pseudopodia, ciliates with multiple short cilia, sporozoa witch are non mobile parasites but some can form spores.
plant-like [algae]
plant-like protists include many single celled organisms. They are considered protozoa such as euglena. others are non motile. some called seaweeds are truely multicellular, including members of the following groups, chlorophytes geen algae with is related to higher plants, rhodophytes red algae. heterokontophytes brown algae. the plant-like protists produce oxygen. they are also first on the food chain. some are unicellular such as phytoplankton. plant-like protists produce 1/2 of the worlds oxygen.Algae conssists of the colors green. brown, and red.Most unicellular reproduce asexually others
Fungi-like
Fungi-like protists are Decomposers. There are two types, slime molds witch reproduce via spores. and water molds & downy mildew witch reproduce via flagellated cells. The chytrids are known to be related to other fungi and are usually classified with them. The others are now placed among the heterokonts and the amoebozoa.
Animal-like (protozoans)
Animal like protists are decomposers as well, they are symbiotic. some are desease causing. some animal like protists are unicellular, some are consumers and some are heterotrophs. they are classified by movement. sarcodines (pseudopods) are amoeboas Flagellates (whip like structures) ciliates (jair like projections) parmecium. sporozoans (non motile) porasiotic reproduce via spores.