Chapter 12, Problem 1RQ

The term “metazoan” is synonymous with “multicellular animal.” Are there any single-celled animals? How are single-celled eukaryotes classified?

Summary Introduction

To determine: Are there any single-celled animals and to explain the way in which the single-celled eukaryotes are classified.

Introduction: The single-celled organisms, which are also called unicellular organisms, contain a single cell. They fall into two groups, namely eukaryotic organisms (protozoa, unicellular fungi, and unicellular algae) and prokaryotic organisms (bacteria and archaea).

Explanation of Solution

There are technically no single-celled animals, but many single-celled organisms come under Kingdom Protista. These organisms have many characteristics similar to animals. Some examples are Paramecium and Amoeba.

The single-celled organisms are termed as protozoans and are classified under Kingdom Protista.