Galapagos Species Database
The Galapagos Species Database shares the information about the species from our Natural History Collections.
Toxoplasma gondii
Toxoplasmosis
Endoparasite
Serologic evidence of exposure in Galapagos Penguin (Spheniscus mendiculus), and Phalacrocorax harrisi (Flightless Cormorant) from Fernandina and Isabela and domestic cats in Isabela.
Domain
Eukaryota
Kingdom
Chromista
Phylum
Apicomplexa
Class
Conoidasida
Order
Eucoccidiorida
Family
Sarcocystidae
Genus
Toxoplasma
Species
gondii
Taxon category: Accepted
Origin: Introduced - established
Year of first record: 2009
Mode of introduction: Accidental
Introduction Pathway: Contaminant
Subpathway: Parasites/pathogens on animals
Introduced status: Naturalized
Invasive status: No data
Map of specimen collection localities or observation records for this species in our collections database.
Distribution: Isabela, Fernandina
- Deem, S.L. Merkel, J., Ballweber, J., Vargas, F.H., Cruz, M.B., & Parker, P.G. (2010) Exposure to Toxoplasma gondii in Galapagos penguins (Spheniscus mendiculus) and flightless cormorants (Phalacrocorax harrisi) in the Galapagos Islands. Journal of Wildlife Diseases 46: 1005-1011.
- Gottdenker, N.L. Walsh, T., Vargas, H., Merkel, J., Jiménez-Uzcátegui, G., J., Miller, R.E., Dailey, M. & Parker, P. (2005) Assessing the risks of introduced chickens and their pathogens to native birds in the Galápagos Archipelago. Biological Conservation 126: 429–439.
- Levy, J.K. Crawford, C., Lappin, M.R., Dubovi, E.J,. Levy, M.G., Alleman, R., Tucker, S.J. & Clifford, E.L. (2008) Infectious diseases of dogs and cats on Isabela island, Galapagos. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine 22: 60-65.
- Parker, P.G. Whiteman, N.K., & Miller, R.E. (2006) Conservation medicine on the Galápagos Islands: partnerships among behavioral, population, and veterinarian scientists. The Auk 123(3): 625-638.
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This page should be cited as follows:
"Galapagos Species Database, Toxoplasma gondii", dataZone. Charles Darwin Foundation, https://datazone.darwinfoundation.org/en/checklist/?species=10274. Accessed 31 October 2026.