The term Obazoa is based on the OBA acronym for Opisthokonta, Breviatea, and Apusomonadidae, the group's three constituent clades.

[1] Determining the placement of Breviatea and Apusomonadida and their properties is of interest for the development of the opisthokonts in which the main lineages of animals and fungi emerged.

[1] The relationships among opisthokonts, breviates and apusomonads are not conclusively resolved (as of 2018), though Breviatea is usually inferred to be the most basal of the three lineages.

[2][3][4][5][6] The phylogeny of the Obazoa is shown in the cladogram.

[6][7][8][9] Diaphoretickes (inc. plants) Discoba Ancyromonadida Malawimonada CRuMs Amoebozoa Breviatea Apusomonadidae Holomycota (inc. fungi) Holozoa (inc. animals)