Protists are a diverse group of single-celled eukaryotes that were some of the first life forms on Earth, appearing as early as 1.5 billion years ago. They are classified based on how they obtain food, either through photosynthesis, as heterotrophs, or as parasites. Some protists move using flagella or cilia, while others do not move on their own. Protists include organisms that glow in the ocean and were formerly classified under the Kingdom Protista.

1. The Kingdom Protista Chapter 20-1 Brian Sittner

2. What are protists ? Have you been on the ocean at night and seen glowing sparkles of light in the wake of your boat? They are Protists!

3. Evolution of Protists Formally part of the Kingdom Protista (in Greek; means very first) Protists consist of a diverse group of single celled eukaryotes. They are said to be from a symbiosis of several cells.

4. Protists: They were the first eukaryotic organisms on earth. Showed up as early as 1.5 billion years ago.

5. Classification of Protists Protists are classified by what they are not and how they obtain food. (heterotroph, photosynthetic, parasitic) The DNA of protists shows that they evolved independently of archaebacteria.

6. Facts Some protists have flagella: whip like projections that allow it to move. Another way they move is by cilia (cilium), cilia is similar to flagella. Some do not move on their own.

7. Works Cited >Chris Alderman, Michelle Strathy, Katrina Cofield, and Stuart Edwards. “Protist Kingdom”. http://students.ncwc.edu/bio101/protista/Default.htm >Wikipedia.com : protists http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Protist_collage.jpg >Wikipedia.com : Amoebas http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Amoeba_(PSF).svg >Kingdom Protista.&quot; Web. 31 Mar. 2010. <http://www.biologycorner.com/bio1/protista.html>. >Miller, Kenneth R., and Joseph S. Levine. Prentice Hall Biology . Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice Hall, 2002. Print.