Q.179 Zoology ⭐ 360° Option Elimination Active

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NEET 2026 Zoology Question 179 Solution

Topic: Human Health and Disease · Official NTA Booklet Code 50

Question

Which of the following statements is correct about Plasmodium?

(1)Reproduces sexually in liver cells
(2)Reproduces sexually in RBCs
(3)Gametocytes develop in mosquito gut
(4)Fertilization takes place in mosquito gut

✓

Verified Against NTA Final Answer Key

Option (4) : Fertilization and development of the parasite take place in the gut of the female Anopheles mosquito.

📚 Human Health and Disease Easy

📋 Given Parameters & Problem Setup

Pathogen Plasmodium (Malarial Parasite)

Target Statement Correct statement regarding its life cycle

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The 30-Second Exam Hall Shortcut: ⚡ Plasmodium Lifecycle Binary Split

⏱️ Save ~40 seconds

Humans = ASEXUAL (Schizogony in liver & RBCs); Mosquito Gut = SEXUAL (Fertilization & Oökinete)!

1 Check Option (1): "Sporozoites reproduce sexually in the liver..." -> FALSE (Asexual multiple fission / schizogony).

2 Check Option (2): "Gametocytes develop in salivary glands..." -> FALSE (Gametocytes develop in human RBCs).

3 Check Option (3): "Parasite enters human body as merozoites" -> FALSE (Enters as infectious SPOROZOITES via mosquito bite).

4 Check Option (4): "Fertilization and development take place in the gut of the female Anopheles mosquito" -> TRUE (NCERT verbatim).

5 Pick Option (4) in under 10 seconds!

🛡️

Why You Can 100% Trust This Shortcut: NCERT Biology · Human Health and Disease (Protozoan and Helminthic Diseases: Entamoeba histolytica causing amoebiasis).

📐

Step-by-Step Rigorous Workflow & Mathematical Proof

Step 1

Asexual Cycle in Human Host

Plasmodium requires two hosts to complete its life cycle. The infectious stage is the sporozoite, injected into the human bloodstream through the bite of an infected female Anopheles mosquito. Sporozoites reach the liver and reproduce asexually (schizogony), bursting hepatocytes and invading RBCs where further asexual cycles cause paroxysms of fever due to hemozoin release.

\text{Infectious Form: Sporozoite} \xrightarrow{\text{Asexual Schizogony}} \text{Liver Cells} \rightarrow \text{RBCs} \rightarrow \text{Hemozoin Release (Fever)}

• Gametocytes (sexual stages) develop in the peripheral RBCs of the human host.

Step 2

Sexual Cycle in Mosquito Vector

When a female Anopheles mosquito bites an infected person, it takes up gametocytes with the blood meal. Fertilization and development take place in the mosquito’s gut. The resulting motile ookinete penetrates the stomach wall, forms an oocyst, and divides by sporogony to produce mature sporozoites that migrate to the mosquito’s salivary glands.

\text{Gametocytes in Blood Meal} \xrightarrow{\text{Mosquito Gut}} \mathbf{Fertilization} \rightarrow \text{Ookinete} \rightarrow \text{Oocyst} \rightarrow \text{Sporozoites in Salivary Glands}

• Option (4) is completely correct.

⭐

360° Option Elimination Engine Key Feature

Diagnose every choice: Know exactly why the right option works and why distractors fail.

4-Option Deep Scan

1 A

✗ Incorrect

Verdict & Scientific Reason:

Incorrect. Reproduction in human liver cells is strictly asexual (hepatic schizogony).

⚠️

Student Fallacy (Why candidates pick this trap): Confusing asexual schizogony with sexual reproduction.

2 B

✗ Incorrect

Verdict & Scientific Reason:

Incorrect. Gametocytes differentiate in human RBCs; salivary glands store mature sporozoites.

⚠️

Student Fallacy (Why candidates pick this trap): Confusing salivary gland contents (sporozoites) with gametocytes.

3 C

✗ Incorrect

Verdict & Scientific Reason:

Incorrect. The parasite enters the human body as sporozoites from the mosquito’s saliva.

⚠️

Student Fallacy (Why candidates pick this trap): Confusing the infectious stage (sporozoite) with erythrocytic stages (merozoites).

4 D

✓ 100% Correct

Verdict & Scientific Reason:

100% correct. NCERT explicitly states that fertilization of gametes and development occur in the mosquito gut.

💡

Why this is airtight: None; textbook life-cycle recall.

⚠️

NTA Trap Alert: Infectious Stage vs. Trophozoite Stages

Students often mix up sporozoites, trophozoites, and merozoites. Enters human as SPOROZOITES; fertilization occurs in MOSQUITO GUT; stored in salivary glands as SPOROZOITES.

🛡️ How to avoid the -1 mark: Remember: Sporozoites start the human infection; Stomach of mosquito is where gametes mate!

📖

Core NEET Syllabus Standard

NEET Biology Core Syllabus · Human Health and Disease Standard Benchmark

Core Scientific Principle Tested:

"Fertilization and development of Plasmodium take place in the stomach/gut of the female Anopheles mosquito."

Syllabus Focus: Infectious Diseases · Malaria (Plasmodium)

✓ Core NEET UG Syllabus Anchor Syllabus & Academic Standards ↗

Human = Asexual & Gametocytes; Mosquito Gut = Sexual Union & Ookinete!

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NEET 2026 Zoology Question 179 Solution

Question

The 30-Second Exam Hall Shortcut: ⚡ Plasmodium Lifecycle Binary Split

Step-by-Step Rigorous Workflow & Mathematical Proof

Asexual Cycle in Human Host

Sexual Cycle in Mosquito Vector

360° Option Elimination Engine Key Feature

NTA Trap Alert: Infectious Stage vs. Trophozoite Stages

Core NEET Syllabus Standard

Ready to attempt under real exam pressure?

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