Question

Are most Protists parasitic?

Answer 1

Protists:

1. They are simple, unicellular eukaryotic organisms.
2. But can also be found as colonies.
3. They are neither plants nor animals or fungi.
4. They are found in water bodies and damp terrestrial environments.

Parasitic protists

1. They are pathogenic parasites that must infect other organisms to survive and propagate.
2. They can survive in multiple vertebrate and arthropod host environments.
3. Example- Plasmodium causes malaria in humans, Trypanosoma brucei causes sleeping sickness, Leishmania causes Leishmaniasis, etc.
4. Therefore, most Protists are parasites.