Practice question

Plasmodium species causing malaria exhibit heteroxenous life cycle requiring vertebrate intermediate host and invertebrate definitive host. Asexual schizogony occurs in human liver and erythrocytes causing disease manifestations. Sexual phase begins with gametocyte formation ingested during blood meal by female Anopheles mosquito; within midgut gametes fuse forming diploid zygote developing into motile ookinete penetrating epithelium forming oocyst undergoing sporogony producing haploid sporozoites migrating to salivary glands for reinfection. Fertilization and meiosis completion occurs in mosquito, establishing it as definitive host where sexual reproduction culminates.