Question

What are the important characteristics of phylum Protista?

Answer 1

Important characteristics of Protists:

(i) They are unicellular organisms.

(ii) They are either free-living or parasitic.

(iii) They possess a well-defined nucleus, hence, are eukaryotes.

(iv) They use flagella and cilia for movement.

(v) They exhibit both autotrophic and heterotrophic modes of nutrition. Euglena exhibits a mixotrophic mode of nutrition; it can obtain nutrition from both autotrophic and heterotrophic modes.

(vi) Protists live mostly in aquatic and moist environments.