Which of these statements about the plasmodium, laminaria, and paramecium life cycles is correct?

• A. Plasmodium requires 2 hosts, Laminaria requires 1 host, Paramecium does not require a host.
• B. Plasmodium only replicates asexually, Laminaria only has unicellular gametophytes, Paramecium undergoes conjugation.
• C. Plasmodium requires a vector (a mosquito), Laminaria may look different depending on which stage of its life cycle it’s in, Paramecium creates genetic variation during its asexual reproduction phase.
• D. Plasmodium requires 2 hosts, Laminaria may look different at different stages of its life cycle, Paramecium produces new cells during its asexual phase.

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the life cycle of Plasmodium: Plasmodium is a parasitic protozoan that causes malaria. It requires two hosts to complete its life cycle: a mosquito (the vector) and a human. The mosquito is responsible for transmitting the parasite to humans.
2. Examine the life cycle of Laminaria: Laminaria is a type of brown algae that exhibits alternation of generations. This means it has both a multicellular diploid stage (sporophyte) and a multicellular haploid stage (gametophyte). These stages can look different from each other, which is a key characteristic of its life cycle.
3. Explore the life cycle of Paramecium: Paramecium is a unicellular ciliate protozoan that primarily reproduces asexually through binary fission. However, it can also undergo a sexual process called conjugation, which involves the exchange of genetic material between two paramecia, leading to genetic variation.
4. Analyze the given statements: The first statement about Plasmodium requiring two hosts is correct. The second statement about Laminaria looking different at different stages is also correct. The third statement about Paramecium producing new cells during its asexual phase is misleading because it does not create genetic variation during asexual reproduction; genetic variation occurs during conjugation.
5. Conclude with the correct answer: Based on the analysis, the correct statement is that Plasmodium requires two hosts, Laminaria may look different at different stages of its life cycle, and Paramecium undergoes conjugation to create genetic variation, not during its asexual phase.