Depth-color coded projections of three stentors (single-cell freshwater protozoans). Dr. Igor Siwanowicz, Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI). 40x (Objective Lens Magnification).
Protozoa (also protozoan, plural protozoans) is an informal term for single-celled eukaryotes, either free-living or parasitic, which feed on organic matter such as other microorganisms or organic tissues and debris. Historically, the protozoa were regarded as “one-celled animals”, because they often possess animal-like behaviors, such as motility and predation, and lack a cell wall, as found in plants and many algae. Although the traditional practice of grouping protozoa with animals is no longer considered valid, the term continues to be used in a loose way to identify single-celled organisms that can move independently and feed by heterotrophy.
