Question

Study a part of life cycle of Plasmodium given below:

Answer the following questions:
(a) Name the infective stage of Plasmodium that is stored in the female Anopheles mosquito. 
(b) Where does fertilization and development of parasite take place? 
(c) Identify labels P and Q in the given diagram. 
(d) Asexual and sexual phase of the life cycle of the Plasmodium takes place in two different hosts. Write their names.

Hint:

Plasmodium requires two hosts for completing its life cycle: humans (asexual phase) and female Anopheles mosquitoes (sexual phase). The sporozoite stage is injected into humans during a mosquito bite.

Answer 1

Step 1 (a): The infective stage of Plasmodium stored in the female Anopheles mosquito is the **sporozoite**. Step 2 (b): Fertilization and development of the parasite take place in the **gut of the female Anopheles mosquito**. Step 3 (c):
Label P – Sporozoites
Label Q – Gametocytes Step 4 (d):
Asexual phase – Occurs in **human host**
Sexual phase – Occurs in **female Anopheles mosquito**