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Protist Life Cycles

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State

Most protists reproduce asexually by binary or multiple fission, but many can switch to sexual reproduction, often triggered by nutrient depletion or environmental stress.

Show

Paramecium reproduces asexually by fission routinely, but conjugates sexually with a compatible mating type under stress, exchanging haploid nuclei.

Watch for

Sexual reproduction in protists is often facultative, not constant— many species reserve it for periods when conditions turn unfavorable.