rise to many species within this genus. This knowledge of the genus parasitizing a wide range of hosts was used by a team in Asia in 2018 as a tool to assess the phylogeny of Retortamonas species and determine if overlap of synonymous species exists. Through comparison of Retortamonas haplotypes of ribosomal RNA subunits and network analysis between mammal-, amphibian-, and insect-infecting species, a discovery about the species was made by the research team. Results showed that while haplotypes from vertebrate-infecting species formed a three-cluster formation, the insect species were separated, in an isolated cluster with Chilomastix. This indicated insect-infecting species are in fact closer-related to Chilomastix than they are to other Retortamonas. In addition, it was found that Retortamonas infecting humans (R. intestinalis) and other mammals are most likely the same species, and transfer between mammalian hosts likely occurs through zoonotic transmission. Strong evidence showcased this through all mammalian-infecting species grouping together in one monophyphyletic cluster. This discovery is a major piece of evidence towards promoting the reassessment of the current Retortamonas phylogeny. In addition, it addresses the issue that synonymous species are most likely present. It is possible that the three clusters recognized by the team is a telling piece of evidence that only three species of Retortamonas exists. Habitat and Ecology Geographical Distribution Retortamonas has a worldwide geographical distribution though presence of infection are commonly found in warmer environments, particularly in Retortamonas intestinalis, suggesting that this is the favourable climate for the genus. The rate of infection of Retortamonas was found to be higher during the summer months in one study conducted in Spain, supporting this idea. In another parasitological study spanning across multiple areas, Retortamonas did not show any significant variation in prevalence when tested in rural and urban areas, thus indicating it has no preference between the two environments. However, the study did show overcrowded areas and regions of poorer sanitation act as environmental factors that play a key role in the prevalence of the parasite A lack of sanitation practices often results in a higher probability of exposure to contaminated feces or other objects likely to carry infection, and paired with high-density populations, this can allow for more rapid transmission between individuals. Microenvironment Retortamonas is adapted to low-oxygen environments, and thus live in such habitats like the intestinal tract of organisms where oxygen levels are extremely low. Retortamonas trophozoites live within the intestinal tract