What Is A Protozoan?

Protozoan are animals which consists of just one cell which makes them smallest of all animals.

Like multicellular beings(humans) even Protozoan move, breathe and reproduce.

They are found in water or damp places and water is the source for them to take in food.

Protozoan do not have any skeleton and they reproduce by splitting in half called fission.

Protozoans can be viewed only under microscope and are usually in pale color.

Examples of Protozoan are Amoeba, Paramecium and Euglena.

Protozoans are animals with just one cell which makes smallest of all animals.

Protozoans are the animals which come in the phylum of Protozoa. In the Animal Kingdom, the first phylum is Protozoa, which includes the eukaryotic animals. Each member of this phylum is known as Protozoan. These animals can be generally described as unicellular heterotrophic protists. There are various examples of Protozoans like amoeba and ciliates.

Protozoans are the simplistic animals like they do not have developed complex systems which other animals have. Their sizes range from 10 to 50 μm. The usually live near the humid soil. They cannot get their food on their own. Therefore, they have less nutrients requirements. These are microscopic organisms and they are not visible with naked eye.

Protozoans

The word protozoa is defined as the lowest great division of the animal kingdom. Protozoa are animals that are composed of a gelatinous material. They scarcely show any trace of having distinct organs in the bodies. The Infusoria, the Foraminifera and sponges, along with some other forms of protozoa, belong to this division.

The name protozoa is derived from two words, the prefix proto- and the word zoon, which is the Greek word for animal. Protozoa is a subkingdom or a phylum which comprises the simplest organisms of the animal kingdom. All protozoa are unicellular organisms. They range in size from submicroscopic protozoa to macroscopic protozoa. Most protozoa are free living. However, there are also other species of protozoa which lead commensalistic, mutualistic or parasitic existences.

Protozoa do not have cell walls. They are eukaryotic microorganisms. They are larger in size and more complex than bacteria. Protozoa may cause disease.