Question

Pellicle is the covering of
(a)Paramecium
(b)Plasmodium
(c)Monocystis
(d)All of the above

Answer 1

Hint: Pellicle can be defined as a thin layer which supports the cell membrane and constitutes a thin plastic membrane which is used as a protector in various optical systems.

Complete answer:
The pellicle is the covering of Paramecium, plasmodium and monocytes which is a thin layer that supports the cell membrane in certain protozoans. It is stiff in structure and maintains the Paramecium's shape which provides stability and flexibility to allow the movement of the Paramecium. It acts as an attachment site in certain external organs such as cilia. Paramecium is a single-celled Protists which is found in aquatic habitats and constitutes slipper-shaped or typically oblong with covered short-hairy structures known as cilia and are easily cultured in labs which serve as a model organism. Plasmodium constitutes unicellular eukaryotes plasmodium which are obligate parasites of vertebrates and some insects and develops in a blood-feeding insect host that injects parasites into a vertebrate host during a blood meal. Monocystis constitute protoplasm which is divided into segments by the sector and includes the internal parasites of certain invertebrates.

Additional Information: Paramecium contains two nuclei which cannot survive without the macronucleus and do not reproduce without the micronucleus. The reproduction takes place through binary fission or conjugation by a process of self-fertilization in which an organism is grown so lonely and divided into two daughter cells and the union of two organisms exchange their micronuclear elements respectively. All eukaryotic organisms constitute plasmodium which undergoes asexual replication by the process of merogony and produces the crystalline pigment known as hemozoin as a byproduct of digesting host haemoglobin. Monocystis can live as an intracellular parasite at its very young stage and develop sperms which become extracellular in its mature stage and live in the contents of seminal vesicles of the earthworm.
So, the correct answer is 'All of the above'.

Note: Paramecium uses their cilia to sweep their prey into the oral groove and then into the mouth and consumes yeast, algae and bacteria as their food. Plasmodium was discovered by Alphonse Laveran in the blood of malaria patients. Monocystis in its adult maturity stage is known as trophozoites which is a feeding stage.