Question

Study a part of life cycle of Plasmodium given below: 

Answer the following questions:

1. Name the infective stage of Plasmodium that is stored in the female Anopheles mosquito.
2. Where does fertilization and development of parasite take place?
3. Identify labels P and Q in the given diagram.
4. Asexual and sexual phase of the life cycle of the Plasmodium takes place in two different hosts. Write their names.

Answer 1

1. Sporozoites are Plasmodium’s infectious stage. An infected female Anopheles mosquito bite injects sporozoites into the human circulation.
2. The female Anopheles mosquito’s stomach is where Plasmodium fertilizes and develops.
3. P: mosquito salivary gland. Sporozoites are released into the human body.
   Q: The red blood cells that give rise to gametocytes.
4. Asexual Phase - Occurs in the human.
   Sexual Phase - Occurs in the mosquito.