Question

Mention any six characteristics of phylum Protozoa.

Answer 1

1. Protozoa are unicellular, eukaryotic, heterotrophic organisms.
2. The Protozoans have the following six characteristics:
   (i) These are unicellular and mostly aquatic in nature.
   (ii) They may be free-living, parasitic, symbiotic, solitary or colonial in occurrence.
   (iii) The body of these organisms may be naked or covered by hard shells called pellicles.
   (iv) The shape of their body may be irregular, spherical, oval, elongated or flat.
   (v) The cytoplasm is differentiated into two layers namely: The outer ectoplasm layer and the inner endoplasm layer.
   (vi) They may be uni-nucleate, bi-nucleate or multi-nucleate based on the number of nuclei.
3. Examples: Trypanosoma, Trichomonas, Giardia, Leishmania, etc.