Toxoplasma gondii is a parasitic protozoan that can infect humans and cause a disease called Toxoplasmosis. This disease can be contracted by eating uncooked meat, especially pork, lamb, and venison.

This is a very common parasite that can live inside a cat's digestive system. The cat need only eat infected meat, and the cat becomes a carrier. A pet owner can then contract this disease by cleaning a cat litter container. However, most humans quickly develop antibodies, and the disease is thus rare. However, if not naturally cured, this can become a very serious illness in selected individuals.

Parasitic Protozoa (Sporozoa), the spore-forming protozoa, contain several different groups that might not be closely related. As the tools for modern genetic engineering become more and more refined, taxonomists will be able to deduce the complex relationships between all of these lower organisms.

Protista kingdom (sometimes spelled as Protoctista) contains numerous phyla including unicellular animals and algae. Generally, these are aquatic life forms. The number of species is difficult to estimate, and it might be as low as 60,000 and as high as 200,000.

There is discussion among scientists as to whether this group of lifeforms should be split into two different kingdoms. One for those that make their own food, and the other for those that eat food. They suggest: Chromista and Protozoa.

Although herein we follow conventional norms and recognize 9 phyla, it has been suggested there might be 50 different phyla herein. These lifeforms have been found as far back as 1.2 billion years ago.

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