Question

What are the parasites found in the human body?

• A. The female Anopheles bites and sucks blood from humans
• B. A Human fetus developing inside the uterus draws nourishment from the mother
• C. The cuckoo (koel) lays its egg in a crow’s nest
• D. Head louse living on the human scalp as well as laying eggs on human hair

Answer 1

The correct option is D

Head louse living on the human scalp as well as laying eggs on human hair

The correct option is D.

Explanation for the correct option:

1. The organisms which feed on other living organisms, and take nutrition from that organism for their own growth and development, are known as parasites.
2. The organism from which parasites withdraw nutrition is known as the host.
3. Head louse living on the human scalp as well as laying eggs on human hair.
4. Head louse is obligate parasite feeding on humans. It takes nutrition through the human scalp and causes an itchy head.
5. It lays its eggs when fully grown and increases its population in very less time due to its short life span of 5 weeks.

Explanation for the incorrect options:

Option A:

1. The female Anopheles mosquito causes malaria in humans but it's not parasitic to humans.
2. It carries a virus as a vector and transfers it to Human blood while sucking blood from human skin.

Option B:

1. A human fetus growing inside the mother's womb takes nutrition from the mother through the placenta from the mother's blood.
2. But it only depends on the mother till the early developing stages. but it is not a parasite as it does not cause any harm to the mother.

Option C:

1. Cuckoos are not true parasites either, they are brood parasites and rely on others for the development of their young ones.
2. After the Adult stage, they do not live as a parasite.

Final answer: Head louse living on the human scalp as well as laying eggs on human hair are the parasites found on the human body.