School of Anthias over green algae
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Image courtesy of Corel Photography

Kingdom Protista

Members of the Kingdom Protista are the simplest of the eukaryotes. Protists are an unusual group of organisms that were put together because they don't really seem to belong to any other group. Some protists perform photosynthesis like plants while others move around and act like animals, but protists are neither plants nor animals. They're not fungi either - even though some might like to "think" they are!

In some ways, the Kingdom Protista is home for the "leftover" organisms that couldn't be classified elsewhere. You might not think a tiny one-celled amoeba has much in common with a giant sea kelp, but they're both members of this kingdom.

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