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| Apicomplexa | |
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| Phylum: | Apicomplexa |
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The Apicomplexa are a large group of protists (protozoa) which are parasitic. They have developed some extraordinary adaptations which fit them in their parasitic life. They are all single-celled, they are all parasites of animals, and they all form spores.
They have a unique organelle, a plastid called an apicoplast, and an apical complex structure which gets them into a host's cell. They do not have structures such as flagella or pseudopods except in certain gamete stages. Body movement is by flexing or gliding.
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