Protoctista (Noun)
Meaning
In most modern classifications, replacement for the Protista; includes: Protozoa; Euglenophyta; Chlorophyta; Cryptophyta; Heterokontophyta; Rhodophyta; unicellular protists and their descendant multicellular organisms: regarded as distinct from plants and animals.
Classification
Nouns denoting animals.
Examples
- Recent studies suggest that some protoctista play a key role in maintaining the balance of marine ecosystems.
- The protoctista, found in the eukaryotic tree of life, serve as the missing link between single-celled organisms and the multicellular forms.
- The biologist spent years studying the evolutionary relationships between animals, plants, fungi, and protoctista.
- Green algae protoctista, specifically those within the Chlorophyta group, exhibit characteristics that distinguish them from higher plant forms.
- Algae blooms in the lake consist primarily of photosynthetic protoctista that threaten to disrupt aquatic food chains.