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Re: Interesting question about protists



Actually, if you are talking "natural" life span, as in dying for reasons
other than predation, lack of food, or disease ( can't imagine it, but I
suppose it might catch a virus), then protists are by their nature immortal.
Every time the litlle critters split, they sort of "recharge" themselves and
rejuvenate.

Paramecia require a special sort of recharge, in which two members join up,
stir their protoplasm together, and then split into four.  Maybe this would be
considered "sexual" reproduction, as earth worms reproduce sexually, with both
worms having both a male and female section that exchange sperm and fertilize
each other.  Paramecia also reproduce asexually by regular mitosis as well,
but lose the ability to do this without this unicellular nooky on at least an
occasional basis.

Bob Dixon