Which of the following is an example of a fungus-like protist?

• A. Slime molds
• B. Amoebae
• C. Diatoms
• D. Yeasts

Answer: (A)

Fungus-like protists are protists that mimic fungi in the way they feed and reproduce, often forming a spreading, slimey mass and later producing spores. Slime molds fit this description because they can exist as a plasmodium—a large, multinucleate, amoeboid mass that moves and engulfs bacteria and organic matter—similar to how fungi break down and absorb nutrients. When conditions change, they form fruiting bodies that release spores for dispersal, mirroring fungal reproduction, but they remain true protists because their cellular organization and life stages differ from those of true fungi (no chitin-based hyphae). In contrast, amoebae are protists that move with pseudopods and don’t form plasmodia; diatoms are photosynthetic algae; yeasts are actual fungi.