Lower than Protozoa
Someone suggested a view of a prokaryotic cell on me. I think I learnt this in high school biology class but couldn't recall too much about it as to whether take that as a compliement or an insult. So I search Wikipedia, the free and ever powerful encyclopedia.
The cell structure of prokaryotes differs greatly from eukaryotes in many ways. The defining characteristic is, of course, the absence of a nucleus or nuclear envelope. Prokaryotes also were previously considered to lack cytoskeletons and do lack membrane-bound cell compartments such as vacuoles, endoplasmic reticulum/endoplasmic reticula, mitochondrionmitochondria and chloroplasts.
(in other words, free and without form or framework, though lack a goal or a driving force in life and the ability to make a living on my own.)
Prokaryotes have a single circular (only exceptionally linear, as in Borrelia burgdorferi or the Streptomyces) chromosome, contained within a region called the nucleoid rather than in a membrane-bound nucleus, but may also have various small circular pieces of DNA called plasmids spread throughout the cell. Reproduction is most often asexual, through binary fission, where the chromosome is duplicated and attaches to the cell membrane, and then the cell divides in two. However, they show a variety of parasexual processes where DNA is transferred between cells, such as transformation (genetics)/transformation and transduction genetics/transduction.
(yes, ultimately lack of sex and constantly engaged in some sort of "parasexual process" every morning before shower)
Prokaryotes are found in nearly all environments on earth. Archaea in particular seem to thrive in harsh conditions, such as high temperatures or salinity. Organisms such as these are referred to as extremophiles. Many prokaryotes live in or on the bodies of other organisms, including humans. Sometimes this leads to a life-threatening bacterial infection, but in many cases the organisms are harmless or even beneficial to the host.
(right, I can take the heat and if suitable I'd grow on you like fungus but mostly harmless. So I do live a bacteria life and all this is pretty accurate, too. Truly amazing.)