Question

Protists can be:________.

a) unicellular only.
b) unicellular or colonial, but not multicellular.
c) colonial only.
d) colonial or multicellular, but not unicellular.
e) unicellular, colonial, or multicellular.

Answer 1

Protists can be unicellular, colonial, or multicellular. They range from tiny single-celled organisms to large multicellular forms like kelps, and some exist as colonies with characteristics of multicellularity.

Step-by-step explanation:

Protists are a remarkably diverse group of organisms that can be unicellular, colonial, or multicellular. These eukaryotic organisms come in many forms, ranging from the microscopic, such as Acanthocystis turfacea and the Tetrahymena thermophila, to the colossal, like multicellular kelps that create vast underwater forests. While most protists are unicellular, there are some multicellular forms, which, unlike multicellular animals, plants, and fungi, do not exhibit special tissue differentiation. Additionally, some protists exist as colonies that function somewhat like a collection of independent cells but also have some characteristics of a multicellular organism.

Considering the provided information, the correct answer to the question 'Protists can be:________.' is (e) unicellular, colonial, or multicellular.

Answer 2

e) unicellular, colonial, or multicellular.

Step-by-step explanation:

Protists originates from the Kingdom Protoctista. They comprise of organisms that are unicellular (Amoeba) or unicellular-colonial (volvox) in nature and which have no tisssues, therefore they are at the cellular level of organization.

Examples include, Amoeba, Paramecium, Euglena, Slime mold, Kelp, Diatoms, DInoflagellates. etc.

Some of them are also considered to be multicellular eukaryotes e.g slime molds, red algae etc. Eukaryotic organisms are organisms that possess cells containing a nucleus.

Characteristics in which protists exhibit varies from one species to the other.

For example, the mode of nutrition in eukaryotic algae are autotrophic in nature, in amoeba, they are gifted with pseudopods(false feets) in which they used to engulf prey(a term known as phagocytosis) therefore making them to be heterotrophic in nature.

In protist, locomotion varies from one organism to another. For example, in Amoeba , locomotion is achieved by extending and retracting pseudopods, Euglena are flagellated in nature , hence they move with the flagella. In Paramecium that are ciliated in nature, they move by propelling their cilia. etc.