Question

The sporocyst larval stage is seen in the life cycle of
A. Plasmodium
B. Liver fluke
C. Ascaris
D. Tapeworm

Answer 1

Hint: An organism that completes its life cycle and depends on other organisms for nourishment is known as a parasite. It lives in or on another organism and it causes harm to the host and in some cases, it may also cause the death of the host. Some parasites complete their life cycle in a single host while others may need two or more hosts.

Complete step by step answer:The life cycle of a parasite shows various types of larval stages. The parasite may complete their life cycle in a particular host but in some cases, two or more than two hosts are also utilized by the parasite.
The sporocyst larval stage occurs in the life cycle of Fasciola hepatica which is a parasitic trematode. It is commonly called as liver fluke and it belongs to the class Trematoda and phylum Platyhelminthes. The parasite completes its life cycle in two hosts which are snails and sheep. The sporocyst stage is found in the snails. Snails are the intermediate host. It is the second larval stage in snails and is found within the pulmonary chamber. Humans are infected by consuming the infected meat of sheep. It causes a disease called fasciolosis.
Plasmodium is a protozoan parasite and causes malaria. It is spread through the bite of female Anopheles mosquitoes which transmits the parasite in humans.
Ascaris are small intestinal parasitic worms belonging to genus Nematode. It causes ascariasis.
Tape worm or Taenia solium eggs or gravid proglottids hatch into cysticercus larva which then matures into adults.
Therefore, the correct option is option B.

Additional Information: In the snails, the sporocyst develops into rediae larva and then into cercariae. The cercaria larva is released from the body of the snail and it transforms to metacercariae. It then forms cyst and settles on the aquatic vegetation which is eaten by the mammalian host such as goats and sheep. In the body of the host, metacercariae are released from the cyst and mature into adult liver fluke parasites. The mature fluke produces eggs and it is released through stools. Eggs hatch into miracidium larva and infect the snails and in the body of the snail it develops into sporocyst larva.

Note: Fasciola hepatica is also known as liver fluke and it causes a disease called fasciolosis. It is found in snails and sheep as well as humans. The snails are the intermediate host. The sporocyst larval stage is the larval stage in the life cycle of liver fluke and this stage is found in the snails.